achieve equity, justice and fairness. We want a situation where every Nigerian wakes up and is able to feed himself, every Nigerian wakes up and are employed. Then all these issues will be over.
Without restructuring, Nigeria’ll soon go moribund —Nwodo
Chairman of the occasion, General Abdusalami Abubakar, former Head of State, who was represented by Ohanaeze Ndigbo president, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, posited that the imbalance in the country at present was regrettable.
He said: “This is not a country of equal opportunities that our founding fathers craved for and this is because of the faulty structure we have today. Therefore, restructuring has become an inevitable ‘sine qua non’ for the future of Nigeria to address the pitfalls and shortcomings.”
Recalling the togetherness, which existed among the various tribes of the past, to the extent that a Hausa man from Katsina became the Mayor of Enugu and was well liked, Chief Nwodo decried present day happening in education, economy and others.
“He said: “If this structure continues, and the way everybody relies on oil revenue for sharing, our country will become useless. Our country’s economy will become moribund. We don’t have a federation at present.
Author of the book, Dr. Mike Okiro, in his remarks, said: “My sincere hope is that the book will assist the government, especially in reining in the centrifugal forces that have for long been threatening the peaceful co-existence, development and progress of Nigeria as a strong, united and virile nation.
“Nigeria is widely acclaimed as a ‘unity in diversity’ nation. However, bitter contest for power, mutually shared ethnic and religious intolerance and suspicion, claims of marginalization and sundry injustices, as well as violent conflicts have hindered the cultural and religious diversity potentials”.
The book was reviewed by the chairman, Editorial Board of The Nation Newspaper, Sam Omatseye.
Dignitaries at the occasion include ex-IGPs, Alliyu Attah, Tafa Balogun, Sunday Ehindero, MD Abubakar and Solomon Arase.
Others are former Governors Ikedi Ohakim, Prof. Osaremen Osubor, former CJN, Justice Alfa Belgore, Obi of Onitsha, Prof. Maurice Iwu, Senator Solomon Ewuga, Senator Alasoadura, Dr. Okauro, DG, Governors Forum, Alhaji Idi Farouk, former DG NOA, Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, Chief Simon Okeke, and former Chairman Police Service Commission.
Also in attendance were DIGs, AIGs and Commissioners of Police, serving and retired.
