By: Temisan Olaifa
Constitutional and human rights lawyer, Prof Mike Ozekhome, SAN, on Saturday, maintained that most of the states that made up the Federal Republic of Nigeria today are not viable and, as such, saw no reason why more states should be created in the country.
Ozekhome, who blamed the conditions of the states on the “skewed federal template” being operated in the form of a unitary system of government, called for a complete overhaul of the 1999 Constitution.
According to him, the present Constitution is not only cumbersome with the center vested with too much power and responsibilities, but was a product of the military class, which has ruled Nigeria for quite some time.
He spoke at a “Walk for Wellness” campaign embarked upon by the Mike Ozekhome Chambers (MOC) in Abuja, on Saturday.
“Some of us are now saying that, rather than creating more states, we should collapse the present structure into about six geopolitical zones, which should serve as regional governments.
“A parliamentary system of government operating on regional bases will be more beneficial to the people because it will catalyze development and competitiveness among the regions. Right now, no state is competing, all of them just go to Abuja at the end of the month to take from the federation account to share”, he said.
The senior lawyer lamented that Nigeria has become a sharing country which is not baking anything because they don’t care or even know how to bake anything.
According to him, while Nasarawa has the highest mineral deposits of over 36 items, followed by Plateau with 28 items, with Sokoto and Kaduna States in that order, the entire country still relies on crude oil, which is fast losing its value across the world.
“I will suggest that if we are to retain the state structure, we should retain the states as a federating unit, thus having two tiers of government,” he said, leaving local government to the states.
Adding: the only state I will have said should be created right now should be in the Southeast, to bring them to equity with other geopolitical zones in the country.
Meanwhile, Prof Ozekhome has harped on the need for legal practitioners to prioritize health above other things, reiterating the age-old saying that “health is wealth”.
He specifically charged lawyers to find time to engage in regular exercise which cost little or nothing financially.
While stating that the health benefits of exercising are unquantifiable because it is proactive and displaces the need for hospitalization, the senior lawyer said that people don’t need to cure themselves from sicknesses when they can prevent them.
Exercising every day is good not only for physical health but also mental, psychological, and even economic health development.
He therefore urged lawyers to exercise regularly, observe an appropriate diet, and take a lot of water, adding that, “What MOC has decided to do this quarter is a health walk or walk for life.
Meanwhile, Ozekhome led lawyers on a 7.5-kilometer walk from his Maitama office through MTN, Transcorp Hotel, Federal Secretariat to an Area 11 sports arena by the Nigeria Police Force headquarters in Abuja.
“We want to use it to celebrate God and to glorify His name in full adoration” for good health, he said.
