Regional autonomy will speed up Nigeria's growth - Awolowo-Dosunmu

The youngest daughter of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and former Ambassador of Nigeria to Holland, Dr. Tokunbo Awolo-Dosunmu, says Nigeria will experience unprecedented growth if states are granted automony as was done in the first Republic.

Addressing journalist ahead of a one day symposium to commemorate the birthday of the late Chief Awolowo, with the theme. “Awo,then and now: Politics,Economics and Education” would hold on March 3,2016 in Ikenne, Ogun State.She said, “It will be regrettable if the resolutions of the 2014 National Conference are abandoned because the recommendations would help us to move forward. One of the issues we need to get right is our federalism. That is first and foremost. Is this the kind of federalism that was bequeathed to our generation? I am not so sure.

“The present situation where the states are subservient to the Federal Government is not healthy. I believe that we will do better if, as done in the First Republic, each region is granted autonomy. I feel that the prospects of receiving allocations from the Federal Government at Abuja make people to go to sleep and not to work hard.”

Awolowo-Dosunmu also advised South-West governors to emulate the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, by making education more accessible and affordable.

The symposium, according to her, would be chaired by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, while the keynote address will be delivered by Prof. Segun Gbadegesin.

She added, “The March 3 event will subject our gains, challenges, setbacks and prospects to a detailed examination, in order to chart the way forward, using as a template the seminal interventions of the late sage. We do this with a view to showing important lessons from the leadership record of Papa Awolowo in order to provide a compass for the nation’s journey to political, social and economic transformation.