2019: It’s time for restructuring – Gani Adams

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Otunba Gani Adams, has said it is time for Nigeria to be restructured adding that it is time for the Yoruba nation to adopt a new paradigm shift, taking into consideration all the issues that affect Nigeria as a nation.

He stated this while speaking at a two-day Summit and interactive session of the Ooodua Progressive Union (OPU) in Hamburg Germany.

“As the 2019 general elections draw nearer, there is the need for the Yoruba to adopt a new paradigm shift,” he said.



“The word, restructuring, simply means reorganization, not disintegration. Our position on this is clear and that is Nigeria cannot afford to isolate itself from the rest of the world. For years, patriotic Nigerians have been agitating for restructuring, but a few elements in the country are against it. As far as I am concerned, those calling for restructuring should not be seen as enemies of the state but partners in progress.’’, he added.

Adams frowned at the desecration of the sanctity of the traditional institution by some people who, he said, arrogate to themselves the position of a Yoruba Oba in the Diaspora.

“Our traditional institution is sacred and we won’t allow anybody to tarnish the image, even as we urge all the Yoruba Obas in their respective states to condemn the abominable act.”

Aare Adams, who had earlier met with the Nigeria Ambassador in Berlin, Mrs. Mobolaji Sakirat Ogundero, said part of the contending issues discussed at the summit included restructuring of Nigeria, as well as decentralization of both security, monetary, education and infrastructure, which allows the federating unit to develop at their own pace.



All members of the group from across the 84 countries in the world, as well as other prominent Yoruba groups, were present at the Summit.

President of Isokan Omo Yoruba in Germany, Chief Adewole Albert, was also in attendance.

Read the full communique below

The summit notes that:
1. Yoruba Culture and Tradition, dating back to centuries, must never be desecrated on the premise of modernisation.

2. The summit condemns any Yoruba who refers to himself as an Oba in Diaspora. Any Yoruba can be leader of Yoruba organisation, group or association but it is against Yoruba Culture to refer to yourself as Oba in Diaspora. Our traditional institution is sacred and we won’t allow anybody tarnish our image. We urge Yoruba Obas to condemn this in its entirety.
On the urgent need to restructure Nigeria, the summit notes:

3. Restructuring simply means reorganisation, not disintegration

4. Nigeria, as a sovereign country blessed with human and natural resources, should be a first-class state in the comity of nations

5. Nigeria, as the most-populous black nation, should be leading the crusade for restructuring globally

6. Recent inventions globally have clearly shown that restructuring is the only way out of the crisis in Nigeria

7. For years, patriotic Nigerians have been agitating for restructuring but a few elements in the society are against this for selfish reasons

8. Those calling for restructuring should not be seen as enemies of state but as partners in progress.

9. Whether now or later, restructuring is a must if the country must move forward

10. APC is the ruling party in the country and it must fulfil one of its promises – restructuring – which it made before it got into office in 2015

11. Diversification is another name for restructuring which should be implemented immediately

12. This is due to the fact that many countries will change from petrol/diesel vehicles to electric-only vehicles soon

13. The big question our leaders should answer is: when this happens, what happens to our oil?

14. When majority of countries in the Western world have no need to buy our oil, how will governors, who send their Finance Commissioners to Abuja every month, pay salaries?

15. Those kicking against the idea of restructuring should be seen as enemies of the country.

16. Governance in Nigeria – security, monetary policy, resources, education, infrastructure, etc – must be decentralised for Nigerians to have a sense of belonging.

17. If this is not done soon, there will be no justice, equity and fairness in the polity and it will continue to lead to resistance.

18. Nigeria cannot afford to isolate itself from the rest of the world in upward development trajectory.

19. The time for restructuring is now.

 

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