Nigeria is overdue for restructuring, says J. B. Oke

Immediate past chairman of Leventis Group and titan of corporate affairs, Chief Joseph Babatunde Oke, has said that Nigeria is overdue for restructuring as a federation because the present arrangement is lopsided with too much power to both the Federal and State governments.

Oke said this on Tuesday while delivering the Lagos State University Discovery Lecture titled ‘Can Nigeria Survive Another Century as a Corporate Entity?’ at the university’s main auditorium.

The guest lecturer said that for the country to survive the next 1,000 years will depend on how the federation is structured and administered.

“I don’t think the people of Nigeria care whether we remain together or break into fractional states as long as they are able to improve their livelihood through an egalitarian society. Local government, which is the third tier and closest to the grassroots is marginalised, the interests of all minority groups and the issue of derivation must be addressed.

“The economic and monetary policies are lagging behind those of developed countries and require re-engineering to attract sustainable foreign investments that are much needed by a developing country of our size, stature and status,” he said.

The former Leventis boss said it is unarguable that one of the obstacles to economic development in the country today and the continent of Africa is wide spread corruption both in public and private sectors.

“If the present government has not achieved much in its two years in its mantle of leadership , at least it has removed the lid from the top of the corrosive drum harbouring the canker worm of corruption,” he said.

He however noted that Nigeria has the potential to be a great country and that the union can continue for the next 1000 years or on the other hand can disintegrate within the next few years as it all depends on the people to find the right answers and introduce the right policies that will guarantee even and sustainable developments.

Chief Oke recalled that Nigerians have survived the most critical periods of agitations for dissolution of the Federation while stressing the need for systematically diversifying from the monolithic petroleum resources.

Special Adviser on Education to Lagos state governor, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh, commended LASU Centre for General Nigerian Studies for organising such a lecture saying it will provide a platform for town and gown interaction.

“Nigeria is at a cross road where we need to address the issues that separate us. No one is genuinely interested in the disintegration of Nigeria some of the activities are criminal in nature and must be treated as such, we have over 300 ethnic groups and diverse religious beliefs, we must do everything possible to protect our unity and draw strength from our cultural diversity,” he said.

Chairman of the occasion and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who was represented by the ministry’s director of Research and Innovation, Dr. Rahman Yusuf, said Nigeria is too beautiful to be torn apart, saying many people have predicted doom for Nigeria but the God we serve in different ways had not allowed the country to be doomed.