Bayelsa gov advocates true federalism

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has said Nigeria is at a crossroads and must go back to a true federalism if it must survive and realise its economic potential.

Diri said a situation where only the Federal Government can create local government is an aberration.

He stated this on Wednesday while delivering the 64th University of Nigeria Founders’ Day lecture titled “Rethinking our Future: The Need for True Federalism and Economic Renaissance” at the Nsukka Campus.

“Nigeria has reached a pivotal point, a crossroads that demands wise decision-making to determine the nation’s destiny and secure a prosperous future. We must engage in such frank conversations about how to create a more perfect union that embraces our diversity while pursuing common goals.

“It is through dialogue and collaboration that we will pave the way for a brighter future for all Nigerians,” he said.

He said true federalism has become a lexicon that reverberates across the nation’s socio-political landscape underscoring the defective nature of the governance structure being operated.

Although he expressed his total support for the Nigerian state and its continuous unity and existence, the governor advocated a “union where diversity is celebrated, equity ensured and opportunities are accessible to all.

“I urge us all to embrace this journey towards a new Nigeria where each state’s progress is the nation’s progress. Let us build systems that support our collective dreams, leaving petty comparisons behind.”

He said that current federalism in Nigeria was meant to serve the interest of the colonial masters as against the ideal pattern of forming a federation where states willingly come together to form a nation, as it is in the United States of America.

Citing examples of the federal system as being practised in the United States, Australia, Germany and other countries, Diri advised that Nigeria can learn from them by decentralising electoral management and dispute resolution to strengthen its federal system and promote states’ autonomy.

He, however, noted that the establishment of federations typically resulted from complex historical, political and cultural developments.

“One of the earliest examples is the United States, precisely during the American Revolutionary War. The necessity for collaboration and unity in defence and trade among 13 separate colonies led to the formation of federated states. They did so entirely of their own volition by negotiating the union.

“In sharp contrast, the colonial authorities did not give federating units the choice to remain sovereign or negotiate their membership of Nigeria. Our union was designed primarily to serve British administrative and economic interests, forcing together vastly different ethnic, cultural, and religious groups. The situation was further complicated by successive military incursions that washed off almost all appearance of a federal state in order to exercise absolute control.

“This succeeded in laying the groundwork for the tensions that have continued to plague Nigeria’s unity. Consequently, we must rethink our future and build a political culture where the promise of federalism is not a mere illusion of unity, but a powerful catalyst that drives our passion for success and unlocks untapped potential.

“By doing so, we will unlock our comparative potential, unleashing innovation and entrepreneurship. The choice is clear: continue with a centralized system as practised today or embrace true federalism,” he added.

Earlier, the UNN Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Polycarp Chigbu, said the event was meant to celebrate the founding fathers of the institution led by the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, whose vision led to its establishment on October 7, 1960.

In his keynote lecture, a Senior Academic Fellow African Studies Centre, University of Oxford, Sonny Iroche, called for the autonomy of the universities to unlock their potential.