By Laolu Elijah and Philip Osunsami, Ibadan

National Chairman and Convener of New Nigeria Movement, Dr Victor Taiwo and other stakeholders have recommended regionalism as the only way out of the economic and security crises in the country.

They made the call at a book launch in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Dr Taiwo said since regionalism had been tested and discovered to be a system of government that can tackle the heterogeneous nation like Nigeria, it should be reintroduced to solve the country’s numerous challenges.

He said, “Nigeria is at the crossroads or at the point of cul-de-sac where nothing goes well with the country. Today all institutions of governance have collapsed with no clue to their resuscitation”.

“And the raging and reigning effects are the absolute hunger in the land, hopeless insecurity and capital flight from the country. And yet there are no indices known to the books for national redemption in the horizon. Thus the best way we can describe our situation is to say we are in a moment of emergency.”

The panacea to the problems, according to him, is to review the current system of government adding, “Nigeria was once on a sprint lane to greatness by the power of competition among the regions most especially prior to independence when we had the Western Region under Obafemi Awolowo, Eastern Region under Nnamdi Azikiwe and Northern Region under Ahmadu Bello with regional system in place. Under this regime of regionalism, Nigeria  was just at its best.” 

Going back memory lane, Dr Taiwo who fingered past Nigerian leaders except Chief Obafemi Awolowo as regards the present situation noted that “Now what we have on ground as the only solution to our crises is the restructuring of the country back to regionalism or true federalism,” Dr Taiwo noted.

Speaking to newsmen why he wrote the books, Dr Taiwo said that writing is a good and easy way to pass a message to many people and that writing has always been a part of him. 

He noted that the books contained countless truths about the present situation of Nigeria which he had predicted many years ago but which many past leaders refused to buy into and make necessary changes. 

Also speaking, Hon Justice Owoade rtd, noted that the call for the return to regionalism should not be taken as a secession call but a call for restructuring in order to make Nigeria a great nation.

“We must understand the essence of today’s event. It is not the idea of a separate nation within Nigeria for Yorubas. It is not only Yorubas that are talking, these days at least, about restructuring. The problem is that there is an imbalance.”

“The structures are not right. Yorubas are asking for restructuring. Igbos are asking for restructuring. Some of the northerners are asking for restructuring.”

“So we should put our heads together and say, if this will work, let us restructure. It is pure and simple.

“What we are now talking about is that for the sake of Nigeria, for the sake of this country, let us go back to a system where regions will contribute to the national purse, where regions will constitute pure federalism. I think that is sensible and is good enough.

Also speaking, the Baale of Ekotedo and Chairman of the Yoruba World Assembly, Chief Taye Ayorinde said Nigeria needs a bold person like a lion with an eye and the swiftness of the eagle to get the nation on the right track.