Let’s Decentralise If It Will Solve Nigeria’s Challenges – Soyinka

• Slams past National confabs as deceitful

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – With many still strongly against separatist calls by some groups in the country, Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka on Thursday, canvassed that Nigeria should decentralise if that path will effectively address the country’s myriad of challenges.

This is as he also slammed previous national conferences organised to address the challenges facing Nigeria as “deceitful”, exercises that were merely held to pacify aggrieved Nigerians.

In a presentation titled; ‘Recovering the Narrative’, Prof Soyinka stated that going forward, deliberate steps should be taken towards decentralisation for Nigerians to enjoy the country more.

The lecture delivered as part of the weeklong activities marking the 50th anniversary of PUNCH Newspapers in Lagos, had the literary icon saying that amid the current challenges, decentralisation would allow governance to get closer to the people and also deliberately take care of their welfare needs as citizens.

Further defending his call for separation if necessary, the playwright and novelist, said; “I know the fear. The fear is collapse, break up. That has been the excuse given by several regimes. But suppose the nation is breaking up informally, in other words as a fact rather than as a theory. Then, and you better just address this. Come straight on and see exactly what happened.

“What is wrong with general representatives seeing them and saying this is the protocol of our association, Anything outside of it? Anyone who does not want to accept these protocols, abide by these protocols, and manifest these protocols in the act should take a walk. I have no problem at all.

“We live in what is known as the nation beginning as a vast football field is ending up as a ping pong table. If that is going to restore dignity to citizens. If that is going to guarantee three square meals a day then so be it. One of my favourite expressions with people is “Let nations die, that humanity may live.”

Also noting that the time has come for leaders at all levels to stop taking Nigerians for granted, Prof Soyinka said it is unfortunate that many politicians readily change their disposition and develop cold feet after getting to power despite knowing the importance of restructuring.

Stressing his preference for expressions like reconfiguration and decentralisation instead of restructuring, the octogenarian said; “What do you mean by restructuring? Well, I don’t even like the word restructuring. I use, I prefer expressions like reconfiguration and decentralisation. Everybody can grasp that, decentralisation. And those who lead, recognise the necessity of it. They recognise the importance, almost the inevitability of it until they get into power, yes, that’s the difference.”

According to the elder statesman; “It’s about time, I think leaders stopped taking this nation for a ride, you know, we must decentralise. Security, you know, has become a burden to bear. From all corners of the nation, that is the crime. Decentralised so that government can come closer to the people, and productivity can really be manifested as a product of citizens, not simply as a manna from heaven”.

Insisting that decentralisation was key for the country to be self-sufficient in food production, the Nobel laureate described past national conferences about the decentralisation of Nigeria as “mere distractions and charades”, noting that their organisers had different agendas in mind.

He said in all the so-called National conferences, the word ‘restructuring’ refused to disappear, despite evasion by one elected leader after another, even as it meant different things for different people, explaining that some politicians were afraid of restructuring as they interpreted it to mean the dissolution of the country.

Founded in March 1973, PUNCH Nigeria Limited, publishers of The PUNCH, Saturday PUNCH, Sunday PUNCH, and PUNCH Sports Extra, clocked 50 on March 18, 2023. However, the company’s board of directors moved the 50th-anniversary celebration forward to this year because the anniversary fell within an election month and year.

Also, the outfit’s Golden Jubilee celebration is being marked with the 40th anniversary of the passing of PUNCH founding Chairman, the late Chief James Olubunmi Aboderin, who died on 28th February 1984, at the age of 50.

The public lecture, which was well-attended took place at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. It drew attendees from all walks of life including top government officials, media chiefs, captains of industry, military top brass, and civil society members, among others.