CHIEF OLU FALAE SPOKE THE MINDS OF HONEST AND PROGRESSIVE NIGERIANS. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT RESTRUCTURING NIGERIA IS ALL ABOUT, FOR THOSE STILL GREEKED BY THE TERM, THIS IS THE MEANING OF RESTRUCTURING AS CANVASSED BY SOUTHERN NIGERIA

You know I am a leader in the South West and at the National convention, I was elected as the leader of the Yoruba delegation. So, I am central to the Yoruba position. 

The Yoruba position is my position and it is the same position I canvassed in my book, ‘The Way Forward for Nigeria’ which I launched in 2005 in Lagos. What we mean by restructuring is going back to the Independence Constitution which our leaders negotiated with the British between 1957 and 1959. It was on that basis that the three regions agreed to go to Independence as one united country. So, it was a negotiated constitution.

This is because, if the three regions were not able to agree, there would not have been one united independent Nigeria. But because the three regions at that time negotiated and agreed to package a constitution, that is why they agreed to go to Independence together. When the military came in 1966 and threw away the constitution, they threw away the negotiated agreement among the three regions, which was the foundation of a united Nigeria.

So, the military did not only throw away the constitution but a political consensus negotiated and agreed upon by our leaders of the three regions in those days. When we say restructuring now, we are saying let us go back substantially to that constitution which gave considerable autonomy to the regions. For example, each region at that time collected its revenue and contributed the agreed proportion to the centre. But when the military came, they turned it round and took everything to the centre. That could not have been accepted by Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe or Obafemi Awolowo.

This constitution we are using was made by the late Gen Sani Abacha and the military; Abacha came from only one part of Nigeria, so he wrote a constitution that favoured his own part of Nigeria. That is why I am saying, let us restructure and go back to what all of us agreed before. That is the meaning of restructuring. 

The regions used to be federating units, but in today’s Nigeria, they would now be called federal regions because states have been created in the regions. So in the West, you now have a federation of Yoruba states which would belong to the Nigerian Union at the centre. So, it is not like the region of old with all the powers. No. It is now going to be a coordinator of the states in the zone. That is what we mean by restructuring. And the regions would have as considerable autonomy as they used to have. For example, the younger people, may not know that every region then had its own constitution.

There were four constitutions at independence the Federal constitution, Western constitution, Eastern constitution and Northern constitution. That was how independent they were and every region had an ambassador in London. The ambassadors for the regions were called Agent Generals so that you do not confuse them with that of Nigeria then called High Commissioner. 

So, Nigeria had four ambassadors in London. The ambassador for Nigeria then called a High Commissioner was M.T Mbu. The ambassador for Eastern Nigeria then was Mr Jonah Chinyere Achara, Western Nigeria was Mr Omolodun and for Northern Nigeria, it was Alhaji Abdulmalik, there were four of them.

That was the kind of arrangement we agreed to, but the military threw it away and gave us this over-centralised unitary constitution. So, we said this is not acceptable any more; we must go back to the negotiated constitution which gave considerable autonomy to the regions so that they can compete in a healthy manner. For example, Chief Obafemi Awolowo wanted to introduce free education in the West and other regions said they could not afford it, but he went ahead to introduce it in the Western region. He said he wanted to pay a minimum of five shillings a day, while others were paying two and three shillings. He went ahead and passed the law, making five shillings the minimum wage in Western Nigeria.

There was no problem with that. In Western Nigeria, the constitution provided for a House of Assembly and the House of Chiefs. In Eastern Nigeria, there was no House of Chiefs because they did not think they needed one. There was no problem with that and that is the kind of Nigeria we negotiated in London, but that is different from what we have today. So, we are saying let us go back to that arrangement in which all of us agreed on independence and not what Abacha imposed on us, which is very partial, unfair and one-sided. That is the meaning of restructuring; it is to restructure unfairness and give semi-autonomy to the federating units.

Chief Olu Falae is a leading Yoruba leader and was Head of the Southwest Delegation to the Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s National Constitutional Conference.

Disclaimer: 

The opinions and views expressed in this write-up are entirely those of the Writer(s). They do not reflect the opinions and views of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or any of its employees. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of materials herein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever of the Publisher (Nze Ikay’s Blog) or its employees concerning the legal status of any country, its authority, area or territory or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers. Equally, the sketches, images, pictures and videos are gotten from the public domain.

NzeIkay
NzeIkayhttps://www.nzeikayblog.com
Welcome to Nze Ikay's Investigative Blog, A Place Where Truth Finds Its Voice. A New Chapter in African Investigative Journalism. "The duty of the press is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." — Finley Peter Dunne I welcome you to Nze Ikay's Investigative Blog, the digital heartbeat of Nze Ikay Media and Communication Limited. Here, we do not merely report news. We dig deep. We ask the uncomfortable questions. We follow the footprints in the dark, armed only with the torch of truth and the compass of integrity. Our Mandate Is Africa, Nigeria, and the Untold Stories of Mama Africa. This platform is dedicated to investigative journalism that matters. From the corridors of power in Abuja to the remote villages of the Niger Delta, from the bustling markets of Lagos to the mineral-rich lands of the North, we will be present, we will ask questions, and we will tell the story as it is. Our focus is unapologetically African, with a special lens on our beloved home country, Nigeria, a nation of boundless potential too often betrayed by those entrusted with her care. As the Igbo elders say, "A toad does not run in the daytime for nothing." When something is amiss, when the powerful conspire against the powerless, when public funds disappear into private pockets, when elections are stolen from the people — someone must run. Someone must shout. Someone must expose. That someone is us - Nze Ikay Media And Communications. On this media outlet, you will find: 1. Deep-dive investigations into corruption, electoral fraud, and institutional failures. 2. Exclusive reports on matters that affect the lives of everyday Nigerians. 3. Unfiltered analysis of the political and social forces shaping Africa, our continent. 4. Stories of resilience, the Nigerians and Africans who refuse to be silenced. Our Commitment: We make this solemn pledge to you, our readers: We will not be bought. We will not be silenced. We will not bow to the pressure of the powerful. As the Yoruba say, "Bi a ba n'pa eku fun eku, a ma n'pa eku fun eku, ti a ba n'pa eran, a ma n'pa eran." meaning, If we are killing rats, we kill rats; if we are killing bigger game, we kill bigger game. We treat all stories with equal diligence, and no one is too powerful to escape our scrutiny. So, Join the Movement. Truth-telling is not a solo journey. We invite you to be part of this mission: Share information (securely and anonymously) if you have stories that need telling. Engage with our content, comment, challenge, and contribute to the discourse. Stand with us as we navigate the dangerous but necessary path of investigative journalism. The road will not be easy. The powerful do not sleep, and they do not take kindly to those who shine light on their deeds. But as our ancestors taught us, "Onye amaghị nwanne ya, ọ ga-arahụ n'ọhịa", meaning, one who does not know their sibling will sleep in the wild. We know who we are. We know whose side we are on. We are on the side of the people. And God is with us. Most importantly, remember that evil prevails when good men sit and do nothing. Welcome to Nze Ikay's Investigative Blog. Where truth is not just told — it is unearthed. Follow us for stories that matter. Share for justice that lasts. https//:www.nzeikayblog.com Nze Ikay Founder/Lead Investigator Nze Ikay Media and Communication Limited © 2026 Nze Ikay Media and Communication Limited. All rights reserved. #NigeriaDeservesBetter #AfricaDeservesBetter

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