Former Secretary-General of Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, yesterday, warned that unless Nigeria abolishes the 1999 Constitution that it is currently implementing, development will continue to elude her.
Anyaoku who argued that united and progressive pluralistic countries were those who addressed their diversity with true federal constitutions, faulted the 1999 Constitution which he described as unitary.
The elder statesman made this disclosure at the launch of the book: ‘The Noble Academic and Patriot: A Biography of Emeritus Professor Akinjide Osuntokun,.
The event which was held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, in Lagos, saw Anyaoku, chairing the occasion.
According to him, Nigeria, like many other countries, is a pluralistic country whose population comprised peoples long established in their separate geographical areas. With different histories, cultures, languages and religions.
He said, “The universal lesson is that pluralistic countries, which have survived as single political entities in unity and progress, are those that address their pluralism. That is, their diversity, with genuine federal constitutions. Examples of such countries are India, Canada and Switzerland. The other pluralistic countries, which failed to manage their pluralism with true federal constitutions, eventually disintegrated.
“Examples of these include Yugoslavia, which after 74 years of existence broke into seven sovereign states. Czechoslovakia, which separated into two independent States. East Timor, which separated from Indonesia. And coming nearer home here in Africa, Sudan, which broke into two separate countries after almost 3,000 years of existence as a country. I believe, therefore, that if our pluralistic Nigeria is to achieve true unity and political stability, and to successfully tackle the serious challenges that the country faces, it must have a truly federal constitution.”
Anyaoku, however, maintained that the trouble with Nigeria was not political leadership. He, therefore, stated that with the 1999 Constitution, not even Angel Gabriel or Mala‘ika Jibril could tackle Nigeria’s challenges.
“The divisiveness, the underperforming economy with the resultant massive poverty, the insecurity, the humongous corruption and the other major challenges currently facing Nigeria. My warning, therefore, is that for the sake of preserving our country, the Federal Government and National Assembly should not delay any longer acting to what is a universal lesson. We must have a true Nigerian people’s democratic constitution based on the principles that underlie our 1960/63 Constitution. Which was technically negotiated and agreed by the founding fathers of independent Nigeria.
“As many of us will remember, Nigeria was more united, more stable and developing towards achieving its potential after that constitution. Until the military intervened in governance in January 1966 and introduced a unitary constitution. That has virtually existed, albeit in different forms, until today,” Anyaoku said.
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