<p><em>Professor Adebanji Akintoye, is an Afenifere leader, the teacher of teachers, walking encyclopedia and professor of History. In this exclusive interview with OpenLife Staff Writer, Isaac Ngumah, the 2nd Republic Senator expresses fears about the survival of Nigeria in view of barefaced misgovernance</em></p>



<p><strong>What is your take on the state of
insecurity in Nigeria?</strong></p>



<p>At
the moment, everybody knows insecurity is shacking the foundation of this
country. ;My take on it is that we are going through
such a high level of insecurity that if we do not do something about it
immediately we could end up losing Nigeria because most people of Nigeria are
now showing they cannot take it anymore and people are preparing to defend
themselves. ;So the culture of self defense can only lead
to great and greater violence and bloodletting.</p>



<p><strong>What are your comments on  ;Sowore’s arrest?</strong></p>



<p>It
is a pity that the federal government thinks that it has the right to prevent
people from expressing themselves. The young men were organizing to
demonstration. They told us, in their statement, that it is going to be
peaceful demonstration.  ;I think the
young men have a right to demonstrate and express their opinion in the street.
It is only if it becomes violent that the law the security forces should move
against them but they have not even started when they were attacked, arrested and
put in detention. It is a great pity.</p>



<p><strong>Many are saying that the president is
behaving like Abacha. Is it true?</strong></p>



<p>Not
yet as much as Abacha ; but very close.</p>



<p><strong>In some quarters, there are allusion
to attempts to Islamize Nigeria. Do you agree?</strong></p>



<p>Islamizing
Nigeria has always been there. It is not new. It has become a big venture. I
don’t think there is any doubt about that but it is not so much attempt to
Islamize Nigeria that is causing the trouble now. It is attempt to Fulanize
Nigeria. Let me use General Obasanjo words “attempt to Fulanize Nigeria” to
create a situation in which the Fulani will be free all over Nigeria to
intimidate people and subdue in the way that Hausa people have been subdued in
the Northwest.</p>



<p><strong>Nigeria has over taken India in the poverty
index. What is your take?</strong></p>



<p>Not
just overtaken India but beyond India as the capital of extreme poverty in the
world. We live here. It is our country. We know the poverty level. We know the economy
is disintegrating. We know there is infrastructure deficit. We know the quality
of school is collapsing. We know that basic facilities like water and electricity
are not improving. We started generating pipe borne water in the Southwest as
back as 1950. But now we don’t have them anymore. Almost everybody has to dig
bore hole to supply water for domestic use.</p>



<p><strong>What ways can governments address the
insecurity in Nigeria?</strong></p>



<p>State
governments need to take steps as much as possible, under the law, to provide security
for the people. Waiting for the federal government will be the equivalent of <em>waiting for godot</em>. Federal government
cannot protect the people of Nigeria from the North to the coast and from the
coast to the East and West. The government must defend its  ;people and  ;the federal government must let State
governments take charge of security. The federal government thinks of
everything in terms of power and that one will not work. Let the state
government protect their people.</p>



<p><strong>What is your assessment of the unity
of this country?</strong></p>



<p>Nigerians
talk about unity especially when our leaders talk about unity. The leaders talk
about unity as if it is an end in itself. Unity is not an end in itself. The
unity of a country is not an end in itself. The unity of a country is an end to
end. The end is joining hands to develop that area we call our country. But the
government of the country is not doing much of that the same government is
saying unity of Nigeria is not negotiable. They are talking nonsense. There is
no unity that can be sustained among the people who are poor and hungry. There
can’t be unity when citizens cannot travel freely in their environments. Some cannot
sleep peacefully in their homes or in villages. You cannot sustain unity in
that type of situation. If Nigeria continues to disintegrate the way it is
disintegrating, if Nigeria continues to retrogress the way it is retrogressing,
someday, not far from now, we may have to give up Nigeria or may lose Nigeria.  ;I think that we may lose Nigeria and that will
be a pity. ; </p>

“Being Fat Isn’t The Problem” – Eniola Badmus Empowers Plus-Size Women OpenLife reports that Nollywood…
Live Drama: Evan Okoro Tests Negative, Calls Out Ekene Umenwa Over HIV Rumours OpenLife…
MC Fish’s Girlfriend Breaks Silence: “I Didn’t End His Marriage” OpenLife Nigeria reports that Nollywood…
Dangote Refinery Produces Euro 5 Specification OpenLife Nigeria reports that David Bird, the Managing Director…
New Bride Whom Pastor Accused Of Being A Demon Gives Reasons For Denying Hubby Sex…
“Hope you get better lawyer?” Victor Boniface Responds To False FIFA Suspension Claims OpenLife Nigeria…
This website uses cookies.