Military coups slowed Nigeria’s progress, bad leaders worsening it – Adebanjo

Most of them have failed woefully, particularly in the last eight years. They have drawn us backward in all ramifications. After we gained independence, later the military came in and they ended up giving us a military constitution. We have to leave that constitution.

There are insinuations that agitations for restructuring seem to have gone down since Tinubu came to power, why is that?

It has not gone down. It is left for Tinubu to act. He came into power on the promise of restructuring. It is left for him because one of the promises of the All Progressives Congress is to restructure and it is for him to fulfil that promise. Part of the misfortune of this country is that when people get into power, fulfilling whatever they had promised becomes a problem. So, call for restructuring has not gone down, it is very much alive but we want to see him implement it.

What aspect of restructuring are you proposing?

It is to return to federalism. Federalism has been practiced in the United States, Australia, the Netherlands and several other places. It is to have a fair constitution that will allow a fair share for everyone to live together. It is only those who want to cheat the other parts that won’t allow that to take place.

Many people will argue that it is better to focus on national development than for regions or states to have some independence, do you insist that restructuring is the way to go?

I’m not one of those many people. I’m one of those who fought for independence. Those who say that are the post-1960 generation. They don’t know how we started the country. They don’t know how divided the country is and how we were before independence. First, change this constitution and let them feel the impact of a new Nigeria, they will stop saying that. I have been saying it for long, Afenifere has been saying it for long and even the APC has been saying it for long. It’s only that they (APC) will not implement it. And that is so because they are not honest.

Many elderly people used to say that governance was better in the times of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, etc., what changed along the line that leaders at all levels seem to be selfish, plunging the country into misery and hunger?

It was because the military came in and changed the country. The military ruined this country. The military coups spoiled everything and they gave us a constitution which we are currently operating and that is why I said we should change the constitution. You can continue to operate the country on what we have currently, so the bottom line remains a change to the constitution.

Does it mean it’s the constitution that has a problem and not the leaders?

We have not had the right leaders in recent years. Are you talking about the people that are fighting for their own pockets rather than the well-being of the nation and its citizens? Look at the removal of petrol subsidy and see how people are suffering, yet the government officials are allocating more money to themselves. Even the palliatives they said they were distributing, some have ended up in the pockets of some officials. They don’t have love for the people but themselves; they are all selfish folks.

You once mentioned that bitter politics is being practiced in this generation, could you speak more on this?

Yes, is it not this same politics where within the political parties people are killing themselves and people are not safe? Since Buhari came in, haven’t you seen the rate of killings in the country, which we can say is more than civil war? Don’t let us go into that. Change the constitution and let us move forward.

Why are you insisting on a change of the constitution?

Look at the Constitution. For example, how can you have a situation whereby the government in power, which is also contesting in the elections, appoints the man that would be at the helm of the affairs of the commission (Independent National Electoral Commission) that will conduct the election, is that fair? The President chooses all the major people to handle one matter or the other during the election. Change this constitution to reflect the wishes of the people and then we will move forward.

You were once a secretary to the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, a man who till today earns the respect and admiration of Nigerians across ethnic divisions, what do you think was the Nigeria of his dreams compared to what is happening now?

You can’t begin to compare. He envisioned a country where there will be freedom, enlightenment and progress. That was what he envisaged even before the military came. What we are seeing now is the opposite of progress.

What can the leaders of today learn from his leadership style and character?

They should read his books and follow his doctrine. They should desist from abandoning the promises they made to the people.

Chief Awolowo was well known as the promulgator of free education but some have argued that in today’s world education cannot be free. What do you make of that?

Education cannot be free because of their mismanagement. When he (Awolowo) made it free, it was because of prudent management of resources and not because there was excess money. Is it now that ministers, senators and House of Representatives members earn far more than professors that education will be free? When you have an awkward system of running the economy, it cannot be free. They have monopolised the benefits of the economy themselves, that’s why it cannot be free.

What do you think is the way forward to have the Nigeria we all want to see?

Change the constitution. If you don’t do that, you are wasting your time.

Given your relationship with Tinubu, will you engage him personally on the issue of restructuring or you don’t want to relate with him on that?