Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr Kayode Fayemi has urged Nigerians to purposefully confront the country’s problem openly and head on rather than sweep them under the carpet.
The Governor stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the public presentation of his latest book titled “Unfinished Greatness: Envisioning a New Nigeria”. He said the stability and progress of the country required a “deliberate effort by citizens and those entrusted with leadership to advance national agenda regardless of challenges.”
The Book, which is a compilation of Dr Fayemi’s thoughts on nationhood, restructuring, devolution of power and the need for a new constitution, among others, also proffers solution to challenges confronting the political, social and economic development of the country.
The event, had in attendance a former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who chaired the event, the Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Governors Babajide Sanwolu (Lagos); Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano); Aminu Tambuwal (sokoto); Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), AbdulRahaman AbdulRasaq (Kwara); Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), and representatives of Governors of Akwa Ibom, Edo, Imo, Benue and Ondo States.
Others at the event included former Osun State Governor, Chief Bisi Akande, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN); Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Fetsus Keyamo (SAN), Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Pauline Kedem Tallen; Minister of Trade, industry and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; former Senate President Ken Nnamani and host of others.
Dr Fayemi, at the public presentation submitted that the Nigeria idea and ideal still remained strong and indestructible with emphasis on the need for all Nigerians to purposefully support a national rebirth agenda built on unity, justice, freedom, equity and rule of law.
He stressed the need for leaders, during adversity, to take the responsibility for preserving the ideals of national agenda grounded on oneness and unity and also provide hope of better days for the citizens by undertaking courageous reform needed.
Noting that Nigeria had had moment of greatness in all areas of national and human endeavours, Dr Fayemi stressed the need to perceive and understand difficult days and problem as part of the “unfinished quest for greatness”
He said; “despite the difficulties we face as a country, the Nigerian idea and ideal remain strong and indestructible. And that is really the essence of what I have devoted a good part of my life and career to: an unshakable faith in the fact that we are better off together and in unity than in fragments and pieces.
“I want to be clear. We are faced with a conjuncture of complex and uncommon challenges which must be confronted openly, head-on, and purposefully, rather than being denied, swept under the carpet, or simply wished away.
“Problems must be understood to be part of our unfinished quest for greatness. And greatness has to be our permanent watchword as the only destiny that is acceptable to us and to Global Africa which earnestly looks up to us for leadership.
“Nigeria will surely fulfill destiny and do so as a united country built on justice, freedom, equity and the rule of law. This is the national agenda of our times. I invite each and every one of us to partake in it for the national rebirth we must deliver.” he added.
Speaking also was Mohammadu Buhari who urged Nigerian leaders to endeavour to share their experiences and vision through published work and regularly engage in discussions that centre round the future and greatness of the country.
The President who hailed Dr Fayemi’s as an intellectual in government, said the new book should serve as a pointer to achieving the vision of the founding fathers of Nigeria which he described as ”work in progress”.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, President Buhari was of the view that “the more people of vision write about the future of a society the better it will be for that society.”
General Gowon who also hailed Dr Fayemi for his valuable contributions to national discourse, said Nigeria needed more leaders with vision, vigour and good understanding of the key issues in the country.
The former Head of State who restated his belief in the greatness and oneness of the country, urged Nigerians to show more commitment to peace and progress of the country, said the Nigeria Prays which he leads was one of the ways the greatness of the country can be established.
In his keynote address, the Guest Speaker and former Director for Africa and West Asia, International IDEA, Prof Adebayo Olukoshi raised issues that bothers on the intrinsic relationship that should exist between the institutions of the country and its leadership.
Prof Olukoshi stressed the need for Nigerian leaders to transcend above narrow and parochial differences and find common things that bind the people of the country together to enable them forge a new consensus around dignity.
According to the renowned Political Scientist, while character can help build a nation, dignity would enhance its transformation, adding that this must begin from the journey of self-respect.
The Book Reviewer, Dr Joe Abah, said the author asserted that whatever defects Nigeria currently has can be corrected without having to collapse the whole structure and offered his perspective on why Nigeria has not fulfilled its undeniable potential. He pointed out that the theme of restructuring reverberates throughout the book, adding while many have taken the term ‘restructuring’ to mean different things, Fayemi simply describes it as a way to reimagine our country to make it work effectively for everyone.
“As Dr Fayemi said, we can correct the defects we have without having to collapse the whole structure. However, the need to reformulate our union will not go away and must be addressed if we are to move forward. Governance problems are unique, in that, left unattended, they only ever get worse, never better.
“To examine the act by which Nigeria becomes a nation, it is my opinion that we need to set in motion a process that culminates in producing for us a totally new Constitution. That process must start with a patriotic dialogue about the kind of country we want. Although our current Constitution is said to have been modelled on the Constitution of the United States of America, the American Constitution has a certain endogenous legitimacy that the 1999 Constitution lacks: it was not handed to the American people by a military regime. The opening lines of the U.S. Constitution says: “We the people of the United State, in order to form a more perfect union… do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” It is imperative that Nigerians have an honest dialogue that leads to a more perfect union. The fact that “We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” did not actually “give to ourselves the Constitution” constitutes a fatal flaw that cannot be cured by constitutional amendment. We need a new Constitution.
“Overall, the book makes a compelling argument for the need to restructure Nigeria, and for decentralisation and devolution predicated on an honest national dialogue. It also highlights the imperative of intelligent, people-focused leadership anchored on personal example. It is unapologetically optimistic about the future of Nigeria as a coherent entity founded on unity, freedom, justice and equity. The book is a useful contribution to the debate about the future of Nigeria at a time when many Nigerians and lovers of Nigeria are wondering whether and when Nigeria would ever fulfil its undoubted potential. Unlike many publications that focus only on setting out the problems, Fayemi’s book goes further to outline practical suggestions for tackling some of the thorniest issues in our polity today.”, Dr Abah wrote.
