Secession: IPOB Gets Hard Knocks From Anglican Communion
.Clergy endorses restructuring, devolution of power
BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – The Anglican Communion, Calabar Diocese has delivered hard knocks on champions of secessionist agitations in the country, describing them as those still living in the ugly past.
Distancing itself from the Biafra and so-called self-determination agitations, the Communion said it is strongly against any secessionist struggle as such plans would not be in the overall best interest of any section of Nigeria.
The Archbishop of Anglican Communion, Calabar Diocese, Rev Tunde Adeleye told newsmen in Calabar that said all well-meaning Nigerians and groups should instead join forces and raise their voices in support of restructuring the country as the best way forward.
Rev Adeleye, who counseled that no part of Nigeria should ever consider the option of breaking away, said the secession philosophy being championed by the leader of Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is too late in the day and seriously overtaken by events.
He however stated that a situation where people are allowed to feel oppressed does not augur well for Nigeria’s corporate existence, stressing that it is therefore important those whose backyards produce the nation’s wealth are given the opportunity to have a reasonable taste of nature’s endowment through the practice of true federalism.
According to the clergyman, what Nigeria needs at present is a situation where the centre substantially devolves power to the federating units, like the states and local government, in a manner that no part would harbour any ugly feeling of marginalization within the political entity.
He said at present, the Federal government is overloaded with unnecessary responsibilities and until power is devolved to the federating units, the country would continue to sit on a keg of political gun-powder that could explode at any time given the spate of agitations for resource control and restructuring fast becoming louder each passing day.
Archbishop Adeleye said the best way toward achieving true federalism is dialogue, insisting that “until true federalism is achieved within the polity, we would merely be postponing the dooms day”.
On the incessant clashes between farmers and Fulani Herdsmen that have claimed so many innocent lives across the length and breadth of the country, Archbishop Adeleye said restructuring has the capacity to provide a permanent solution to this menace.
He said with restructuring, each state would be free and empowered to enact whatever laws necessary for the good governance of its people without undue interference from any quarters, especially the federal government.
