BY IFEOMA EJIOFOR
The traditional ruler of Nnobi kingdom in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, HRH Igwe (Engr) Nick Obi has stressed the need for Nigeria to revisit the 2014 Confab recommendations.
Igwe Obi, the first Nigerian gas engineer stated in his palace while commenting on the collapsed security situation in the country.
“It has become obvious to all Nigerians that there are dangers ahead and that the nation is in a deep trouble, things have completely fell apart and we are just hoping that the center will continue to hold. My apologies to Chinua Achebe.” He said.
Igwe Obi said that there is urgent need to restructure the country immediately which he said must come before the 2023 general elections has become imperative because of the realities on ground.
This according to the highly revered monarch must be accompanied with devolution of powers.
“If this is not done, whoever that takes over in 2023 as the president will inherit a defective system and still be in trouble if urgent steps are not taken to correct the foundational issues confronting the nation.
“I am very sure that security situation will improve as soon as there is devolution of powers, once we have functional and effective community policing or state policing or whatever name we give them, we need local policemen who will be able to identify local criminals before they strike. It is a known fact that it is the local criminal who normally opens the door for outside criminal to operate.” Igwe Nick Obi stressed.
He said that failure to do this will be tantamount to making peaceful change impossible and in the process making violent change inevitable.
“Nigeria as presently constituted is not working, we must sit down and have a frank discussion on how to rescue Nigeria, 2014 Confab achieved a lot and I believe it is time to revisit the recommendations contained in the report of eminent Nigerians who sat down to discuss dispassionately about the country.
“There are about sixty eight items on the exclusive list, I don’t know for sure how many items we have on the concurrent list. Items on the exclusive list should be reduced and given to the states. This will surely reduce tension in the management of the country.” He said.
The Nnobi royal father also blamed lack of transparency and systematic corruption as factors militating against Nigeria.
He however declared emphatically that military intervention cannot be the true solution to the challenges confronting Nigeria.
“Military intervention cannot help us, out of the sixty one years of Nigeria’s existence, the military was in power for forty years. The whole system in the process became militarized to the point that today, a military officer is the president. The solution like I said before is to revert to 2014 Confab recommendations and as well take a look at the 1963 constitution.” Igwe Obi pointed out.
The Anambra monarch said that Igbo Presidency in 2023 will be a welcomed development as it will give Ndigbo a sense of belonging in the Nigeria project but added quickly that it will not achieve much except there is restructuring.