By Yetunde Ogunmola
Leader of the Pan Socio-Cultural Yoruba organization, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, has charged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address the issue of constitutional reforms with courage, fairness and determination.
Pa Fasoranti said these during President Tinubu’s visit to his residence in Akure on Wednesday.
Those present at the elder statesman’s residence are; Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, former Governor of the State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, royal fathers and members of the group.
The Afenifere leader sought for a true Federal Republic that would reflect fiscal federalism.
He expressed that the review of the 2014 National Constitutional Conference would help him in charting the course of his administration.
Fasoranti who advised the president to continue to govern fairly and courageously and with the fear of God said: “For the people of the South West, restructuring also has a more pressing meaning.
“Today, Nigeria has a population of 200 million which would double in the next 25 years to 400 million. However, the South West is facing an avalanche of migration from the other zones of the country to the extent that in 25 years time, if the current trend continues, the Southwest would be home to 50 percent of the population of Nigeria. By this time the states of Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo would be home to at least 200 million people”.
“We need to plan for this eventuality on a regional scale. We need to be prepared so that our region would not be overwhelmed by imported challenges.”
He also sought for institutional reforms that would strengthen the federation and make Nigeria safer and more prosperous, imploring him to try and balance the budget and execute capital projects that would create more employments.
The elder statesman thanked the president for welcoming the idea of state policing, just as he expressed the desire of the group for each of the geopolitical zone to have greater responsibilities for security, food production and infrastructural development.
He noted: “Since the removal of fuel subsidy, which was costing Nigeria 10 billion dollars yearly, the state governments have been receiving hefty allocations from the Federation account and the state governors should be persuaded to allow this change of fortune for the states to reflect at the grassroots so that life can be better for our people.
“They should not just buy rice and yams for the people. They should create employment, improve education and build new infrastructures. Today, life is truly challenging for most people and the state governments have important roles to play to transform the society.”
He said the president owe a duty to posterity to serve Nigeria with all his strength and wisdom and praised him for giving his best to reposition the country’s economy and reform the Public Service with many issues that have remained unresolved for many years.
He said it was an act of courage and sagacity for him to adopt the Oronsanye Report as the basis to reform the Public Service.
Speaking with journalists, the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Comrade Jare Ajayi disclosed that the responses of the president to the demands of Afenifere were positive to take the country to the greater heights.
“President Tinubu said he prayed for it, danced for it , sang for it, paid for and got it. Baba just sit down and relax” he said
The president, he said, has assured Nigerians that he understood the challenges they are facing and he’s trying to build structures that would be reversible.
Ajayi said what the president meant was that the structures he (president) was putting in place economically, politically and infrastructurally will put the country where it ought to be.
He added that the president promised to continue with payment of international loan and assured to offset it as soon as possible
Words of assurance, Ajayi said were gotten from the president who said that the country will get out of the problems its facing in the area high cost of prices of goods and services.
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