NIGERIA’S Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Thursday, February 29, said Nigeria could dissolve if that would solve the lingering socio-economic problems facing the people, especially poverty and insecurity.
Soyinka, speaking at the 50th anniversary of Punch newspaper in Lagos, insisted that the only way to rescue Nigerians from their plight was to implement decentralisation by drafting a new protocol in which all regions would be allowed to decide whether to join or leave through their representatives without resorting to war.
Soyinka said most Nigerian leaders were aware of that reality, but chose not to do the needful because of lack of political will and commitment.
He stated: “What do you mean by restructuring? Well, I don’t even like the word, restructuring. I prefer expressions like reconfiguration and decentralisation. Everybody can grasp that, decentralisation. And those who lead, recognise the necessity of it, the importance, almost the inevitability of it until they get in power. Yes, that’s the difference.
“It’s about time, I think, leaders stopped taking this nation for a ride. You know, we must decentralise. Security, you know, has become a burden to bear. From all corners of the nation, that is the crime.
“Decentralse, so that government can come closer to the people and productivity can really be manifested as a product of citizens, not simply as a manna from heaven. That is the attitude obtained at the moment.
“I know the fear; the fear is collapse, break up. That’s been the excuse given by several regimes. But suppose the nation is breaking up informally, in other words, rather than as a theory. Then, and you better just address this. Come straight on and see exactly what happened.
“What is wrong with general representatives, see them and say this is the protocol of our association? Anything outside of it, anyone who does not want to accept these protocols, abide by these protocols and manifest these protocols in the act should take a walk. I have no problem at all.
“We live in what is known as the nation, beginning as a vast football field and ending up as a ping pong table. If that is going to restore dignity to citizens, if that is going to guarantee three square meals a day, then so be it. One of my favourite expressions with people is, ‘let nations die, that humanity may live.”
