Rising from the 2025 edition of the Apostolic Round Table convened by Apostle Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi, Nigerians have been advised to think of regrouping along their ethnic realities. It was explained that “If we regroup based on our ethnic realities we will not have problems and that will be able to decolonize Nigeria.”
This was the consensus at the end of one-day Conference hosted by Apostolic Round Table, convened by the cleric cum social cleric Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi, with the theme Steward of Nations, One Nigeria. The conference was held on Thursday 23rd January, 2025 at Jesus Evangelical Assembly, Ikeja, Lagos with eminent panel of discussants drawn from different parts of the country.
Setting the tone of the discussion in his welcome address, Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi said, ‘The capture of all the leading political parties by the government of the day left us with no option but to activate a platform to discuss. The Nigeria journey, Where are we coming from, Were are we? Where should we be going? A clear road map beyond politics is needed to achieve this.
Leading the discussion, Dr. Jonathan Sunday Akums of Movement For National Reformation, was of the view that Federalism should be people based, and not territory based. Looking into the present set up of Nigeria, Dr. Akums explained that Nigeria in history was divided on territorial arrangements. He advised that a new arrangement should be based on linguistic groups.
“We are different ethnic groups in Nigeria and Africa unlike in Europe. The military suspended the people’s constitution and brought in their own. The current 36 states will be the starting point. Every ethnic group will like to have a state of their own.
He explained further that, “Federating units are not about population but unique groups who want to manage themselves. The insecurity question is part of the agitation for individual federating units. The process can determine the Nigerian system – with freedom, liberty and sovereignty for every ethnic group in Nigeria. Every ethnic group in Europe is a country on its own. 1963 constitution should be reworked to meet the contemporary realities to restructure Nigeria. Some will be heterogeneous while others will be homogenous. If we regroup based on our ethnic realities we will not have problems and that will be able to decolonize Nigeria.”
To Deacon Owolabi Oladejo, the leader of The Rebirth Group, comprising Religious, Traditional, and Professional groups, noted, “the foundation of Nigeria has been destroyed and we must do something about it.” He was of the view that, “If we are looking at a nation of autonomous freedom. We must have inclusive government where our traditional and religious institutions will be involved. We need to have constitutional role and cooperative governance for the institutions. There can be rotational Presidency like in Switzerland.”
Archbishop Funsho Awe, a cleric and politician, and leader of Civil Consciousness Global Initiative (CCGI), what should be very important to all Nigerians should be good governance, saying, “All we are after is good governance. If we have a good government in Nigeria, today, and if Nigeria is working, if we all have basic food on our table, nobody will care if the president is a Christian, or Muslim, whether he is a Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba.
“As long as we have people in power who are not righteous, 2027 is not going to change anything. They will still recycle themselves – until we decide enough is enough,” as he echoed the need to sensitize the people about their rights and getting them involved in governance.
Pastor David Ololade, a self-acclaimed Apostle of Isese, a Pentecostal Isese Pastor, and a strong believer in customs and tradition, in his opinion expressed the belief that that African people have lost their best tradition in language and culture.
He said, “As a Yoruba man, I believe our language, culture and customs are imbedded in our governance and all aspects of our public life,” wondering why the Church was all out to kill the culture of the African people in the name of religion. Without tradition, culture, and language, he averred that Africans were going nowhere.
According to Pastor Ololade, “Isese is about Customs minus idolatory. Isese is a way things were done from the beginning. It is about telling the people to go back to their roots. It is about defending our culture and traditions and preventing them from going into extinction.”
In the view of Bishop Joseph Ighalo, leader of Religious Group for Restructuring, there should be religious recognition in the diversity of Nigeria, reasoning that there should be recognition of religion in the quest for true federalism.
Bishop Joseph Ighalo, Indigenous Group For Restructuring, a lot of the ethnic nationality are maginalised without justice and fairness.
At the conference, mention was made of insecurity, militia activities as results of ethnic imbalance in the federating units.
They were of the belief that “There is the need for ethnic balancing of power, and using State power to lord one interest over the other is not acceptable.”
On how the different units can continue to live together, it was advised that the Nigerian system should have respect for individual ethnic interests. We are yet to understand how to sit down to agree on how to live. Let there be reorganization along ethnic basis. You cannot change your ethnic group. Boundary adjustment and referendum should be a starting point to restructuring.
While Pastor David Ololade was of the view that the foundation of Nigeria needed to be revisited with their tradition, culture and language, Archbishop Awe expressed the view that it is the righteous people that are needed in government with quality in governance is what that matters, but not where the politicians come from, until when we have the best.
As part of the conference was presentation of awards to some deserving Nigerians, among which were the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, the wife of the leader and founder of Centre For Righteous Living, Elder (Mrs.) Florence Adegbolagun, received a post humous award on behalf of her husband, Rev. Solomon Aderibigbe Adegbolagun, with others like Dr. Femi Fegurson, and the Senator representing Osun East Senator Francis Ade Fadahunsi as an Icon of Courage in the society.
Also in their comments and prayers, Pastor John Adejorooluwa, affirmed that the agenda for Nigeria was in God’s hands, praying, “It is God’s own agenda. It will be realized in Jesus name.” The representative of Pastor Lazarus Muoka of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Church, wanted to see Christianity practised in all facets of our life in Nigeria, and to Rev. David Ezoze Ize-Iyamu, Minister in charge of the host Church, he commended the discussants for standing on different identities that could not be ignored in national affairs, saying, “the vision is for a new Nigeria to remain intact. The problem of Nigeria is the problem of leadership. Many of those that get there are accidental leadership who don’t have concrete solutions to Nigeria’s problems.” He advised that Nigerian leaders should work with definite agenda in mind for good governance.
At the conference some relief materials were presented to the representatives of some Internally Displaced Persons camp is some parts of Nigeria.
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