Buhari begins regional dialogue to restore peace in Nigeria, meets South West leaders in Lagos

*Says ‘We can no longer ignore the youth in decision making’

*As leaders demand true federalism, equal rights for all

President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari in fulfilment of his promise to selected traditional rulers led by Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar to meet them at geopolitical zone level to dialogue on need to restore peace in the country, has taken off the talk.

The President, who told the monarchs from across the federation that his Chief of Staff would meet with them on same purpose, made good his promise as the dialogue took off with South West governors, monarchs and other stakeholders in the region, hosted by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday November 8, 2020.

At the peace dialogue, held at the Banquet Hall of State House, Alausa, Ikeja, the state capital, it was clear that the threat posed by recent destruction of key public assets to the economy of the South West had necessitated the peace dialogue in which political leaders, traditional rulers and leaders of thought across the region came together to discuss the way forward.

They discussed, among others, issues that led to the recent #ENDSARS protests by youths, which ended in violence that shook the South West region to its foundation. Even as leaders of the region demanded that Nigeria be returned to true federalism.

Expectedly, President Buhari was represented by his Chief of Staff Professor Ibrahim Gambari, accompanied by all serving members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) from the region at the meeting that was also attended by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi, among others.

The session offered traditional rulers a no-holds-barred opportunity to bare their minds on the marginalisation of traditional institutions in governance.

Chairman of the region’s Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, said the coordinated violence sparked by the #EndSARS protests, which finally exposed governors as major part of problem of underdevelopment that the nation has suffered, shook the South West to its foundation.

He noted the the impact of the effect given the unrestrained manner with which public assets and infrastructure that had sustained the region’s economy were destroyed by hoodlums.

Governor Akeredolu said the style of the attacks, especially in Lagos, was worrisome, stressing that the peace in the region remained fragile in the aftermath of the violence.

The Ondo State governor said there was the need to fully restore peace in the South West and address the issues that made youths to be used by those who orchestrated the destruction.

According to him, “Before our very eyes, what started as a peaceful demonstration turned to different thing that became a threat to all of us, who are regarded as elite.
“What we witnessed in the violence showed that something needs to be done to address the underlying issues and come out with solutions. We must be able to sustain the peace in our region at all cost.”

Delivering the message of President of the country, Professor Gambari said the vigorous manner of the #EndSARS protests indicated the frustration of the youth, who he said had been ignored for a long time in governance.

He said the political class must go beyond the lip service and equip the young people with skills that would make them competitive in the market.

The President reiterated his commitment to addressing the root causes of the protests, pointing out the reforms, which the youths clamoured for would be done and cases of abuses would be pursued to logical conclusion.

Gambari said: “Our Government’s effort are emerging from multiple level. The Vice President and Governors are designing an engagement framework through the National Economic Council that will be rolled out across states of the Federation. Chief among them is police reform across all its dimensions. Community policing as an additional layer that can resolve some of our security issues.”

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the host, said the engagement could not have come at a better time than now when the region had just come out of disturbing events.

He believed the dialogue would open a new chapter of peace and prosperity in the Southwest.

The discussion went into an executive session in which all the Southwest governors, traditional rulers and head of security agencies deliberated on the way forward.

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, applauded the Buhari’s initiative, which he described as “right step” but upbraided the political class for lack of consultation with traditional institutions in decision making.

He said the dialogue would bridge the gap of communication between political leaders and traditional rulers.

Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi II, attacked the unitary system being practised, saying the arrangement had led to insecurity and restiveness.

The DEFENDER reports that Nigeria’s political leadership of from independence to the end of first republic did not tamper with the nation’s federalist constitution until after the coup and the first Military Head of State of Southern extractions came to power and change it to unitary thereby taking all the powers from the region to the centre.

In his own submission, the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Alabi, said security must be fortified in the South West to protect the economy. He also called for the creation of Southwest Development Agenda to revamp and rebuild the destroyed assets.

Oba of Lagos Rilwan Akiolu I, whose palace was attacked during the protests,  fingered politicians as the cause of issues that led to the #EndSARS protests, saying unemployment contributed to the problem.

At the end of the meeting, the participants issued a 13-point communique in which the Southwest governors and traditional rulers demanded for the repair of destroyed economic assets of the region.

The communique, signed on behalf of the participants by Governor Akeredolu and Ooni of Ife, reads as follows:

“Communique issued today (Sunday 8th November 2020) after a meeting of Governors and Traditional Rulers of South West States and Presidential delegation, including Minsters from the South West;

“We express appreciation to Mr. President and his administration on the responsiveness to the initial demands of the ENDSARS demonstrators and for his firm handling of the aftermaths of the protest.

“We endorse the call by traditional rulers call for regular consultations with state governors and federal authorities on challenges facing the state and for appropriate recognition of their role in the Constitution.

“The security architecture of the country requires adjustment to adequately address the threats and realities of insecurity in the country. There should be more police presence in communities in the South west states.

“While there are legitimate concerns contained in the initial ENDSARS movement, these have been hijacked by criminal and other elements with ulterior and negative forces and degenerated into anarchy.

“There is need to undertake preventive actions aimed at prevention of repeat of what happened in the country following the ENDSARS demonstrators. Security needs to be strengthened in all states.

“We wish to encourage the Nigeria Police by responding to their needs and appeal to them to do more to protect lives and properties and enhance security all over the country.

“We call for specific measures and proposals to repair damage done to the physical infrastructure and economic assets of the South West.

“Review of reports of constitutional conferences including 2014 National Conference and implement some of the recommendations especially with reference to security, economy, equal treatment for citizens all over the country.

“We believe that the prolonged closure of the border has caused economic difficulties and should be re-examined to alleviate problems of the people in the border communities and prices of some essential commodities. There is need to review the closure and permit resumption of economic and trading activities.

“A comprehensive programme that addresses youth employment and empowerment should be prioritized. Closer coordination and complementarity between the states and the Federal Government. In this regard, the curricular of tertiary institutions should be reviewed, with emphasis placed on skills acquisition and entrepreneurship.

“We recognize the damaging and negative impact of fake/false news and worry about its destructive and dangerous potency of fake news. We call on federal government to use the instrumentality of existing laws and those regulations bench-marked from other countries to provide safeguards against the spread of fake news. 2015 Cyber Act will also be fully used.

“Federal Government should ensure that technology is used effectively for the advancement of the Nigerian Security and not its destruction by working with the technology cum social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. The regime of checks and gate keeping should be fully employed.

“We urge that every effort should be made to resolve the impasse between ASUU and the federal government so that students can return to school in earnest.”