By Daniel Njienue, Interview/News, June 6, 2021
OGUN-Speaking with Afrikanwatch Network on a telephone interview last week Thursday is an elder statesman, who is also a chieftain of Afenifere, a Pan Yoruba Social Organisation, Sen. Femi Okurounmu, CON, who reiterated why he would prefer a break up in the Nigeria state rather than remain under what he described as “second colonialism”. Stressing that, Nigeria is at the edge of total collapse and that, the current administration, led by President Muhammadu Buhari has also created the avenue for agitations for secession. “Circumstances push people into whatever they do, at least it’s the circumstances in Nigeria today that is pushing people for a break up of Nigeria” The Senator went further to say that, he would prefer a break up of Nigeria peacefully rather than be a slave to any Fulani leadership. “I will prefer a break up rather than be a slave”. He noted that, secession over the world does not require hundred percent support but only determined mines who feel marginalized triumph gloriously.
Asked that, most key Yoruba leaders in government today do not support Secession, and the agitation for Oduduwa republic, Okurounmu said: “Well, you are the one calling them key people. For the fact they are in power doesn’t make them key people. Those are the slave Masters, they would not like to lose any of their slaves. Yes, they are slaves to the Fulani’s, that’s my personal opinion”
Commenting on the 2014 National Conference and the need for a new Constitution, the second Republic Senator hinted however, that he supports a new Constitution, and reiterated that while he was the chairman of President Jonathan presidential committee for 2014 Conference, his view then was for the country to have a new constitution. Though, there were people during the conference who wanted a new constitution while some people said no, and there was no consensus on it, and so the majority said we should not have a new constitution. The conference was supposed to achieve a consensus by delegates- that was the best we could attain in form of a consensus, although I wanted us to have a brand new constitution but Northern majority kicked against it.
In a similar vein, Sen. Okurounmu agreed on the view of Prof. Itse Sagay who said that the country should go back to the 1963 Constitution, describing it as the solution to Nigerian problem but the Senator said that, he is not a fan of the Professor, who is working for President Buhari “I don’t support Prof. Sagay ever since he started working with President Buhari but, on that particular one of going back to 1963 Constitution, I agree with him because that Constitution will serve us better. “Let us return back to the 1963 constitution, it will solve the problems” he stressed.
Asked again, that the structure and population of the country as at that time was not the same with the 21st century antics. The Afenifere Chieftain said “It’ has nothing to do with population, it has nothing to do with 3 regions or 4 regions, my personal view is that we should go back to Gen. Yakubu Gowon retd 12 states. He created 12 states because he wanted to satisfy the minorities. The point is that, if we apply the 1963 constitution, instead of having 4 regions, we should have 12 states as created by Gowon. But people always have their selfish interest, which has made people not to go for what is good for the people of Nigeria and what is good for Nigerian progress”
He advised that at this time, what the country can do is to find a way to bring peace to Nigeria, and form a new constitution which will grant autonomy to every constituent’s part of the country or we go back to the 1963 constitution the country operated in 1960 and 1963 before we became a Republic. “That constitution was good and perfect. It was in 1966 that we change it into a unity constitution and we have been battling with the unity constitution since then. So why don’t we go back to where we started from”
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