Still in Search of a Viable Political System

As the nation inches closer to the 2019 general elections, more focus is being placed on the search for a more viable political system with participants at a recent lecture organised by an online portal, Integrity Reporters, proffering solutions to Nigeria’s woes, reports Demola Ojo

The second annual public lecture of an online portal, Integrity Reporters, penultimate week became a good platform for some experts to dissect the problems facing Nigeria once again and proffer solutions.

With the theme ‘The Three Storms in the Horizon: Politics, Religious and Economy, Will Democracy Survive?’, Speakers led by Col. Tony Nyiam (rtd), a political activist; Chief Tunde Fanimokun, a businessman and industrialist, who was the chairman of the event; Bolaji Adebiyi, editor of the Sunday Newspaper of THISDAY; Gabriel Akinadewo, a veteran journalist; and Jumoke Owoola, another veteran journalists; believed that while Nigeria and her people were in the eyes of the storm, the myriad of problems confronting the nation were essentially man made and that efforts to solve them must be holistic.

Leading the discussion, Nyiam said the players in the political arena in the country today were just tacticians who were not holding public office to serve the people. He said his vision for the Nigerian society was to see the restoration of principle of justice, liberty, equity, compassion, good conscience, good governance and strong electoral system where the votes of the people count.

Fanimokun, who chaired the event said if democracy must survive in Nigeria, ten conditions must be fulfilled. These conditions are: good leadership, good followership, empowerment, enlightenment, demography, sustainability, anticipated corruption crusade, authentic voting model, restructuring and revolution. He called on the federal government to give Lagos State a special status as the state was being deprived of the recognition unjustly.

For Akinadewo, once the attitude of the leaders was wrong, the attitude of the followers would also be wrong. He added that age had nothing to do with holding public offices in Nigeria, but that sincerity of the politicians to the people was all that mattered most. He berated the politicians for talking too much to impress, but failed to deliver on their promises to the people.

Adebiyi said Nigerians should hold their leaders responsible and accountable. He believed that the best approach to restructuring was to give more responsibilities and more resources to local governments across the country, adding that more attention should be paid to local authorities than it was being done now.

While Owoola said the problems facing Nigeria were cultural in nature. She noted that Nigerians had lost touch with their rich cultural values irrespective of their ethnic and religious backgrounds. To her, modernisation had robbed Nigerians of their cultural values.
Fanimokun was honoured with an Integrity Award by the management of Integrity Reporters at the event which also had in attendance ACP Tunji Disu, Commander of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Lagos; representative of Corp Marshall Boboye Opeyemi and President,

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