Let’s Change the Structure of this Country

An Obalufonic Call for Reforms

“Let’s Change the Structure of this Country”;

HRH Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (the Ọjájá II) CFR at the One-day dialogue on “Youth, Religion and the Fight against Corruption” held on January 31, 2024, at Musa Yaradua Center, Abuja, Nigeria.

“The President, we thank God Almighty for your life, and all the things you are trying to do, attempting to for the betterment of our nation. I great all the traditional rulers and all the religious leaders here.

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, your eminence came to this podium and said that he would adopt what I will say. The fact that he has not listened to what I will say but he will adopt it. Well, I won’t say you’re on your own, (laughter) but I will say something now. Where did you get the spiritual power to switch off the light in this auditorium? So, the Chairman of EFCC will actually scrutinize you and I will be a witness to expose you further. (laughter)

Today is another red-letter-day for our dear country and I will give a very wonderful appreciation to the Chairman of EFCC, coming up with this initiative of things that we should be talking about in our country. Truth be told, it’s a problem of our dear country.

Religion. That’s where everybody hides. You call on God that you have never seen before, that you only believe him. You use the name of God to perpetrate all sorts of things. After doing it, you run to Churches and Mosques and various traditional organizations. And you continue to use the same Supreme Being that you have never seen. God is there (and) we are here. What are we all doing?

We are the problems of this country. We are the problems of (this country). Actually, (because of) the mirror that we are showing the youth … they do believe that nobody is there for them. Nobody is standing for them. So why can’t they go into so many immoral acts, Yahoo Yahoo and all what have of you, all lot of cybercrimes.

Because there is a clear disconnect between the leaders and the led. And truth be told, there are things we need to be talking about. For the Chairman of EFCC to come out to say prevention is better than cure, it’s about time for us to be talking about it. Not only talking about it and the normal jamboree we do in Nigeria, (that) we are known for, that for the past 60 years we’ve been talking in this country. What impact have we made? What impact?

The truth be told in this country, we have very bright minds that can turn things around.

Well, let’s look at the structure and the system of this country. The structure has a clear flaw and let us face that flaw. Why should we continue to make governance very very attractive? Why?

We are the one aiding and abating crime ourselves.

Why should you encourage everybody to be president? It’s only one person that would lead us. Why should you encourage everybody to be governors? Why should you continue to create an avenue for all our leaders to be all in all – Lord Almighty? You cannot touch them, the National Assembly leaders, all the Senators, all the House of Assembly, members, both at the federal level (and) at the state level? Why?

We all look up to them, they come into their various constituencies and they all do so many things. They are like Lord. So, an average youth will think that these leaders, for them to be getting away with a lot of things, that means “I have to look for quick way to get to the top as well.” So, the system is actually brooming and growing corruption.

We need to look inwardly. We need to look inwardly in this country and tell ourselves the truth that we are the architects of our problems, we are, we keep talking. We haven’t faced the fact that we are the problem of this nation, all of us. Let us tell ourselves the truth, let us redesign the fundamental structure of this country. Devolution of powers, why should we make the president of Nigeria, the governor, and the presidency so powerful?

“The EFCC chairman innocently said something here, that he will go after the presidency, the judiciary, and the legislative arm, I will be praying for you, I will pray and fast for you. Some people were there before you, let’s be truthful to ourselves, how did they end? They try to do certain things, maybe they listen to their leaders and masters that put them there. I will pray for you, I mean it.

The Yoruba will say we need to do more “abusari” for you, it’s not easy. He had spoken wonderfully well, that he wanted to make a mark. Many people will misread him, that after putting you there, you want to go after us. When are we going to grow in this country? When? We all sit down and talk, there is a problem in Nigeria. So, corruption is everywhere, don’t let us deceive ourselves.

Our leaders become successful in the private sector. They gather hundreds of millions to go and do PR for them to get political appointments, what will they do when they get there? They will steal, that is what they would do. The system has made that kind of portfolio and office very attractive.

Let us make laws, review our constitution, and let us stop deceiving ourselves. There are very few impacts our leaders can make. If we know that we cannot make much impact, we will keep talking every year and things will continue to get worse, because the population is multiplying.

An average Nigerian is between the ages of 18-20. So, what are you going to tell those coming generations? If we continue, if we don’t look inwardly and change the structure, and the governors, if we don’t do these things, we are in trouble in Nigeria. You will continue to feed fat and continue to bring corruption to the table of our religious leaders.

It’s a problem, it’s a bad culture, let’s change it, and let’s talk to ourselves. If we want this country to grow, let’s reconnect with our local communities.

Charity begins at home, everything starts from somewhere, we cannot survive with what we have in Nigeria now, it is not possible. If anybody says we will survive in it, let that person come out, it’s a lie. If you are the genius of this world, it’s not possible.

Let’s change the structure of this country.

But if we … say with what we have right now, it’s a white lie. If you are a leader, do what is right, you are a servant, stop amassing wealth, what do you want to use it for?  Do you intend to continue oppressing people? Someday, they will face you, we don’t pray for such to happen in Nigeria.

God bless my dear country, all of us, and our leaders.”

Note; Ọbalùfọ̀n Aláyémọrẹ (Ọbalùfọ̀n II), whom this Blog is named after, was the 3rd and 5th Ọlọfin of Ilé Ífẹ, whilst Ọlọfin Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (the Ọjájá II) CFR, who is the foremost custodian of the Obalufonic flame in theory and practice, is the 51st and current Ooni of Ilé Ífẹ.