Soyinka insisted that for Nigeria to be food self-sufficient and to sustain it, leaders have to decentralise it.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has urged Nigeria’s leaders to decentralise the country in order for it to benefit all.
Soyinka stated this on Thursday at the PUNCH Newspapers’ 50th anniversary lecture held at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The renowned playwright said he preferred the word ‘decentralisation’ to the popular expression ‘restructuring’.
“It’s about time, I think leaders stopped taking this nation for a ride, you know, we must decentralise,” said Soyinka.
“Security, you know, has become a burden to bear. From all corners of the nation, that is the crime.
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“Decentralised 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.
“I know the fear. The fear is collapse, break up. That’s been the excuse given by several regimes. But suppose the nation is breaking up informally, in other words as a fact rather than as a theory. Then, and you better just address this. Come straight on and see exactly what happened. What is wrong with general representatives seeing them and saying this is the protocol of our association, Anything outside of it? Anyone who does not want to accept these protocols, abide by these protocols and manifest these protocols in the act should take a walk. I have no problem at all.
“We live in what is known as the nation beginning as a vast football field is ending up as a ping pong table. If that is going to restore dignity to citizens. If that is going to guarantee three square meals a day then so be it. One of my favourite expressions with people is ‘Let nations die, that humanity may live.'”
Soyinka insisted that for Nigeria to be food self-sufficient and to sustain it, leaders have to decentralise it.
The lecture is part of the weeklong activities marking the 50th anniversary of PUNCH.
