Photo: Participants at the meeting
By Ihechi Enyinnaya
Leaders of Southwest have demanded a review of reports of past constitutional conferences, including the 2014 National Conference, saying some of the recommendations on security, economy, equal treatment for citizens all over the country should be revisited.
They stated this at a peace dialogue hosted by the Lagos State government at the instance of all the six governors of the Southwest states and had in attendance, political leaders, traditional rulers and leaders of thought across the south west.
The summit was to forge a common front with traditional institutions in addressing the issues that led to the recent nationwide youth demonstration, which ended in violence that shook the region to its foundation.
The meeting which had representatives of the federal government in attendance, dwent into an executive session in which all the Southwest Governors, traditional rulers and head of security agencies deliberated on the way forward.
Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, applauded the initiative, which he described as “right step” but upbraided the political class for lack of consultation with traditional institutions in decision making.
He said the dialogue would bridge the gap of communication between political leaders and traditional rulers.
Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, attacked the unitary system being practised, saying the arrangement had led to insecurity and restiveness.
Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, said security must be fortified in the region to protect the economy of the Southwest. He also called for the creation of Southwest Development Agenda to revamp and rebuild the destroyed assets.
Oba of Lagos fingered politicians as the cause of issues that led to the EndSARS protest, saying unemployment contributed to the problem.
At the end of the meeting, the participants issued a 13-point communique in which the Southwest Governors and traditional rulers demanded for the repair of destroyed economic assets of the region.
The communique, signed on behalf of the participants by Gov. Akeredolu and Ooni of Ife, reads: “The security architecture of the country requires adjustment to adequately address the threats and realities of insecurity in the country. There should be more police presence in communities in the Southwest states.
“A comprehensive programme that addresses youth employment and empowerment should be prioritised. Closer coordination and complementarity between the States and the Federal Government. Curricular of tertiary institutions should be reviewed, with emphasis placed on skills acquisition and entrepreneurship.
“We recognise the damaging and negative impact of fake and false news, and we worry about its destructive and dangerous potency. We call on Federal Government to use the instrumentality of existing laws and regulations bench-marked from other countries to provide safeguards against the spread of fake news. The 2015 Cyber Act must also be fully used.”
The session offered traditional rulers a no-holds-barred opportunity to bare their minds on the marginalisation of traditional institutions in the process of governance.
President Muhammadu Buhari was represented at the event by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari. Also, all serving members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) from the region and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Muhammed Adamu, attended the event held at the Banquet Hall in the State House, Alausa.
President Buhari, who spoke through Gambari, said the vigorous manner of the EndSARS protest indicated the frustration of the youth, who he said had been ignored for a long time in governance. He said the political class must go beyond the lip service and equip the young people with skills that would make them competitive in market.
Buhari reiterated his commitment to addressing the root causes of the protest, pointing out the reforms which the youths clamoured for would be done and cases of abuses would be pursued to logical conclusion.
Gambari said: “Our Government’s effort are emerging from multiple level. The Vice President and Governors are designing an engagement framework through the National Economic Council that will be rolled out across States of the Federation. Chief among them is police reform across all its dimensions. Community policing as an additional layer that can resolve some of our security issues.”
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the engagement could not have come at a better than the present period when the region had just come out from disturbing events.
He believed the dialogue would open a new chapter of peace and prosperity in the Southwest.