Nigeria at 53: There is nothing to celebrate, says Afenifere Group

ARG renewed its call for a Sovereign National Conference.
The Afenifere Renewal Group, ARG, has said that opinions would be divided on whether or not the Independence Day was worth celebrating until the country is restructured in line with true federalism principles.
The Yoruba socio-political group, in its Independence Day message signed by its publicity secretary, Kunle Famoriyo, said the nation can be thankful that the past 53 years of independent nationhood had been a lesson on how not to be a nation.
“If only we are ready to embrace the future which lies only in purposeful governance,” he said. “The readiness to obey this lesson is what we should celebrate not Independence, which is yet to bear the expected fruit of peace, progress, and prosperity.”
The group said that the nation did not need to pray for crude oil to dry up so it could focus on development of human resources, adding that regions should be allowed to manage their resources.
“While we thank those still holding on to a stubborn hope of a better tomorrow and commend those who want us to face the reality of a bleak future, we wish to enjoin all to heed this age-old warning: that the resource curse stigma placed on Nigeria is simply because the current Revenue Allocation Formula rewards laziness and does not encourage hard work,” said Mr. Famoriyo.
The group used the opportunity to make another call for a Sovereign National Conference which it said would redeem the nation and set it on a sure-footed path.
The group flayed President Goodluck Jonathan for failing to inspire hope during his media chat on Sunday and admonished him to lead as he promised he would when he was canvassing votes.
“He did not give us hope when the Ribadu-led taskforce on petroleum report, meant to clean up the mess in our petroleum industry, was jettisoned for no crucial reason; when the Orosanye report, meant to reduce cost of governance, was rejected for a reason that suggested we do not have a functional legislature.
“What we have seen are new absurdities in terms of security, fight against corruption, oppressive tendencies playing out in Rivers State and in disbursement of monthly allocation to states. Most significantly, we are seeing a brazen attempt at colonising the Yoruba people politically and economically, a tradition laid down since Independence.”
ARG also admonished the National Assembly to step up its democratic role of entrenching democracy and ensuring good governance through responsible law-making.

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