Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Governor Kayode Fayemi, of Ekiti state has described the agitations and discontent in several parts of the country as evident of the structural challenges the country is facing, which he said can be discussed and amicably agreed upon through effective dialogue.
Governor Fayemi, who spoke during the 60th Distinguished Lecture of the Nigerian Instituite of International Affairs in lagos on Thursday, warned that Nigeria must embrace the restructuring of the country’s political and administrative system before it is too late.
He maintained that restructuring through national dialogue will allow for greater decentralisation and devolution of powers and therefore address the growing agitations ubiquitous in the country.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, who spoke on the theme, ‘Fixing Nigeria For A Better World’, said, “Nigeria must as a matter of urgency undertake the following steps for a better world:
“Embrace political restructuring through a national dialogue process before it is too late. The discontent and agitations that are being felt in parts of the country are symptomatic of structural challenges that can be discussed and amicably agreed upon when all constituent units of the Federation come together to discuss and agree on what the Nigeria of their dreams means.
“Addressing the national question will only ensure that we are on a path to greatness and will generate the sense of unity of purpose required for us to attain our best potential;
“Undertake concerted efforts towards revamping structures and instruments of our foreign policy. Here, I refer to modernizing and adequately funding the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, our Missions abroad, as well as institutions such as the NIIA, NIPSS and IPCR. Ensuring that our most gifted hands are recruited into our Foreign Service and related institutions will only result in a better-informed foreign policy machinery.”
