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From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The pan Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has called on self-determination groups that have been agitating for their own nations, like Republic of Biafra, Oduduwa Republic, and so on, to give the new administration that will begin today under the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a chance.
This wa contained in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the organisation, Mr. Jare Ajayi, on Sunday, and was made available to Daily Sun in Ibadan.
According to him, “We heard of some youths who, earlier on Sunday – eve of the inauguration of Asiwaju Tinubu administration – infiltrated Amuludun Radio Station in Moniya, Ibadan to declare a ‘Yoruba Nation’. We consider this as inauspicious and ill-timed.
“We, therefore, call on all those who are agitating for carving out different countries out of Nigeria to give the new administration of Bola Tinubu a chance. We are confident that he will calm fray nerves by building a country in which everyone would have a sense of belonging.”
He was optimistic that the inauguration of a new government in Nigeria would herald a new lease of life in the country. According to the pan Yoruba organisation, the President-elect, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, by his antecedents, has what it takes to take Nigeria to a greater height.
“We are confident that he will assemble a goals-getting team that will enable him translate his dreams for new and better Nigeria into reality. These dreams include calming the fray nerves among various sections of the country, restoring security and safety of lives and properties, shore up the economy, revamp our collapsed educational system, overhaul the dilapidated infrastructure, create jobs and restore the dashed hopes of youths in the country, setting Nigeria on the path of industrialisation and bringing her into the comity of most advanced countries in the world in social, economic and political terms within the shortest time possible,” he said.
Ajayi submitted that for the above to be achieved, the new President needs to consider some key areas, which deserve urgent and critical attentions, saying: “These areas are insecurity, economy, rekindling a sense of unity and patriotism among Nigerians, revamping agriculture, power, health and infrastructure.
“Cutting down the cost of governance is one of the ways to start with. Doing so, without favouritism will make resources available for critical sectors, block cesspools for corruption and make public officials to be more productive.
“Incidentally, both Asiwaju and his Vice, Senator Kashim Shettima, are well suited in this respect, going by their experiences as former governors, former senators and equally importantly, their educational backgrounds. Asiwaju studied Accountancy at Chicago State University in United States of America, while Senator Shettima studied Agricultural Economics at the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.”
Ajayi, who observed that the suggestion just made might not be easy in view of the tradition in the country, in which many look for patronage or ‘reward’ from political office-holders, especially after a hotly contested election like that of February 25, 2023.
He continued: “Yet, it is possible. And we are hopeful that Asiwaju will be able to do it, especially going by his knack to scout for round pegs to be put in round holes as he did when he called the shots as Governor in Lagos State. There is a way to balance political exigencies with the dire needs of the country, such as smoothening the ethnic, political and religious divides and getting every hand to be on deck for the purpose of moving the nation forward.”
He added that Tinubu seems to be conscious of this when he asserted that “Our nation’s progress rests on the inclusivity, unity and not leaving any citizen behind and ensuring (that) every citizen enjoys the dividends of good governance.”
Afenifere spokesman tasked the incoming President to live up to his words of dedicating his “entire being to the service of our great nation and the African continent.
“One of the ways to achieve this is to enable constituent parts of the country, such as states and local government councils to have greater control of the resources within their jurisdictions.”
