Southern monarchs to Sultan: Nigerians want full restructuring, opposing it unfair

First-class traditional rulers across the southern parts of Nigeria have denounced the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar’s stance on restructuring, noting that it is unfair for a monarch of his stature to speak against the wish of the people.

Some of the monarchs told SUNDAY PUNCHthat the position of the Sultan was born out of the interests of the North.

Last Monday, Abubakar had called on Nigerians to focus on the devolution of the economy, rather than the restructuring of Nigeria, while speaking at the Niger State Investment Submit in Minna.

“Rather than the clamour for restructuring of the country, the Federal Government should be called upon to release dams across the country to state governments for massive participation of Nigerians in all-year farming seasons.

“We have the ability and technical knowledge to feed the continent with what we can produce, with the required political commitment, through the provision of modern farming implements for our teeming farmers,” he had said.

Rather than economic restructuring, the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, stated that it was mind-boggling that the Sultan was not in tune with the masses.

“If the people of Nigeria want the country to be restructured, as traditional leaders, we are not in a position to oppose it. We are closer to the people, so we must lead by example. It is important to find a way of addressing the yearning of our people.

“Without the people, there cannot be a leader. We can see clearly what is wrong with the present system. The people and all the major political parties are calling for restructuring. We should allow people to develop at their own pace. It is the only way out of a potential crisis. That is how we can address all the agitations across the country. We support the restructuring of the nation,” the monarch, who spoke through his Director, Media and Public Affairs, Adeola Oloko, said.

Another first-class traditional ruler from Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Obong Etim Abia, noted that reforming the country’s economic policies to make it more buoyant was not the focus of the call for restructuring.
Punch, August 20, 2017

 

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