From Isaac Ojo and Ifeoma Ejiofor, Anambra
The former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka has advocated Community Based Government (CBG) as a way of moving Nigeria forward.
Chief Chidoka advocated this position when he was speaking as the chairman at the 3rd lecture series/award for excellence put together by Martina Chinyere Enidom Foundation (MCEF) with the topic: “State Government and Community Partnership in Development: The Neni Example.
The former Minister who was also the former Corps Marshall of FRSC said that it is rather unfortunate that people talk about President Muhamadu Buhari and Gov Willie Obiano as president and governor respectively with little or reference to the leadership of communities and local government areas.
He said that rather than dissipating so much energy on who does what at federal and state government level, Nigerians should as a matter of alacrity begin to interrogate the system that are closest to them.
“Experience has shown that many people who are calling for restructuring of Nigeria are just doing so for political purposes, they don’t really want Nigeria restructured. I have asked people if they want the federal government to return University of Nigeria, Nsukka to Enugu State government but the response has always been negative.
“This is the same institution that was built by the Eastern region and taken over by the federal government after the war. Infact the federal government did not build any of the universities except University College Ibadan. Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) University of Lagos were built by regional governments.
“My candid opinion is that if we want Nigeria restructured, we must begin with federal government returning what they acquired to us.” He said.
The former Minister insisted that for Nigeria to move forward, emphasis should be on the communities as it is done in advanced climes.
“Minimum wage must be relative to each state, every state should have her own police, the health, education and other systems should be community based. We should not be running to Abuja or Awka for our primary schools, it is impossible for a person to sit in Abuja or Awka and get things fixed at the community level.” Chief Chidoka explained.
He expressed worry that the factors that sustain urban middle class are grossly absent in Anambra State which according to him was the reason why fresh graduates run to Abuja, Lagos and PortHarcourt in search of greener pastures.
The former Minister said that failure of the young men to find their feet in Abuja or Lagos forces them to consider Ibadan or Kaduna and other places like Calabar and Owerri just to escape the reality at the home front.
Chief Chidoka said there must be huge and strategic investment in education so that people can conveniently adapt to their environment.
“The future is not Onitsha market because times are changing, people can now sit in the comfort of their homes and order goods from abroad, Onitsha main market will change to Onitsha market dot com. The world is changing, we can not afford to be left behind. There will be no future if we fail to invest in our communities.
“We must encourage the idea of hardwork, knowledge and morality among our people, the idea of making it big so as to intimidate and oppress the poor, disrespect the elders must be done away with.” He said.
Chief Chidoka commended Neni community for developing a workable internal road maintenance and huge intervention in health care delivery of their community which according him is worthy of emulation.
He called for shared values and knowledge among the communities for the overall development of individual communities.
