Sessan Laoye || A traditional ruler in Osun State has said that President Muhamadu Buhari deserves a second term for him to be able to fight corruption to a standstill.
His Royal Majesty, the Oluwo of Iwo land in Osun West Senatorial District, of Osun State, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi in his speech at the Public lecture, democracy and conflict prevention to mark the International day of democracy at the Press Centre Iyaganku Ibadan, pointed out that if Buhari spends another term of four years, he would be able to tackle corruption headlong and as well lay the foundation for subsequent leaders to fight corruption.
He argued ‘’I think if President Buhari rules for another term, things would change and corruption which has been the bane of the country’s development would be reduced and the people would realize why they must live an upright lives, devoid of corruption and falsehood which have as well eaten deep into our fabrics as Nigerians’’
The Monarch who said that he believed in challenging the status quo, said that as far as he was concerned, there is no democracy in Nigeria, stating that any politician without anti-corruption programmes, should not be voted for, while he further pointed out that the democracy in Nigeria is for the privileged view.
He said that corruption has destroyed Nigeria because it has ruined every public institution especially, our hospitals, schools roads, and other infrastructures, while he blamed Nigerians especially the youths for eulogizing corrupt politicians simply because of what they get from them.
According to Oba Akanbi, Nigerians should by now change their attitudes towards doing things that are inimical the growth of the country politically, socially and economically, pointing out that, Nigerians always go against leaders who intend to fight corruption, saying that, General Murtala Muhammed was killed for his anti-corruption crusade, while the second leader, and the present Muhammadu Buhari, is now hated for fighting corruption. ‘’I don’t know why some people would wish him dead but I am happy that he has returned to the country to continue his good job especially the crusade against corruption.’’
Nigerians, he said, are suffering and smiling without jobs, while the country is under-industrialized. Adding that Nigeria with the population and the land mass should by now be an industrialized nation while the nation is not supposed to be poor with the resources at ‘’our disposal.’’
The Oluwo called for the reform of the traditional system in Nigeria while he believed that Traditional rulers should be involved in politics by educating the people about the kind of those to vote for, for good governance
He challenged the Nigerian Youths to put their destinies in their hands, pointing out that they must stop flocking around politicians whose sources of wealth are not known and that they should stop eulogizing them as well.
On the agitation for the Biafran nation in the South East, the monarch sad that he is planning to meet Kalu and other traditional rulers in the East. ‘’When we meet, we are going to discuss the way forward for Nigeria because it is better for the country to stay together than to separate. Kalu is my son and the son of the traditional rulers in the East as well. We are the custodians of traditions of our people and we should be able to educate those who are calling for secession to see the reason why we must stay together as a nation so that they would not go astray’’
He also cautioned those who are calling for the Republic of Odua, arguing that a lot of people are confused about the whole thing and that is why there should be strong enlightenment campaign about the agitation of people so that no one should misconstrue the intention of the other.
The guest lecturer at the occasion, Barrister Lanre Agoro said that there must be attitudinal change of Nigerians from Negative to positive before the country can develop. He said that the notion now is that is Mr. A is stealing; Mr. B too would want to go the same way of Mr. A to amass wealth, not minding what the other person did to get his wealth.
He argued that Nigerians should sit tight to strengthened all democratic institutions and shun politics of the winners take all. He too was of the view that corruption should be fought to a standstill
He pointed out that the status book should be reviewed and all obsolete laws should be reviewed, arguing that some of these laws create injustice.
On the security votes by the Chief executives of all tiers of government in Nigeria, Agoro strongly condemned it, saying that it amounts to stealing by trick. He called for its cancellation.
According to him, the agitation and restiveness, all over the country is caused by injustice in the country. He pointed out that if there is justice, there won’t be Bokoharam, Militancy in the Niger Delta, call by one section of the country that another section should leave their domain.’’ We have all these things because there is no justice and that is why the political elites should rise up to do what is just and ensure good governance, while he called on the legislature to enact good laws that would be for the growth of the country and take care the collective welfare of the people.