Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has called for the restructuring of Nigeria to maximize development.
Soyinka who had earlier said he would not criticize the Tinubu led administration, till it was at least a year old in Government, seemed to have changed tact in the wake of the increasing hardship and poverty in the country.
The esteemed Professor made the new comments during the 50th Anniversary of the PUNCH Newspapers in Lagos.
Soyinka took a direct jab at the Tinubu led All Progressives Congress (APC) by saying Nigerian Leaders recognized the need for decentralization until they got in power. He also criticized palliatives which is a strategy heavily favored by President Bola Tinubu.
Soyinka said palliatives are just a stop-gap measure and cannot solve the deep-seated problems in Nigeria. He said only restructuring and decentralization would solve the problems.
Before assuming office, President Bola Tinubu was a well-known advocate of restructuring. However, he has kept mute on the subject since getting elected in 2023.
Here is an excerpt of what he said:
“Reconfiguration and decentralization are necessary to maximize development. We speak about food hunger, which is real, but palliatives are temporary stop-gap policies that do not reach the heart of the problem, which is why we must decentralize development as massively as possible.
It is about time, I think leaders, stopped taking this nation for a ride, you know, we must decentralize. Security, you know, has become a burden to bear. From all corners of the nation, that is the crime.
Decentralized 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.”
Soyinka also added that he understood the fears of leaders that the country might break up and collapse. He said that’s only an excuse used to avoid doing the right thing.
Recall that Professor Soyinka openly expressed support for Bola Tinubu during the elections and engaged in media spats with supporters of the opposition Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi.
