Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education, has underlined the importance of local government autonomy in Nigeria.
Ezekwesili spoke at the inaugural virtual democracy dialogue on ‘Promoting Sustainable Development Models for Effective Local Governance.’
The event aimed to pressure the administration, legislature, Independent National Electoral Commission, and security establishment to take important political and electoral reform initiatives in order to ensure credible, transparent, free, and fair elections.
The former Vice President of the World Bank made headlines two weeks ago when she swore not to return to the country’s previous national anthem, which was recently enacted as the new one.
Speaking at the event, Ezekwesili stated that the country’s problems cannot be solved at the highest levels of government until the grassroots are involved.
She said, “Nigeria is faced with serious structural challenges in its democracy and governance, and nothing works until structural solutions are provided. That means we cannot start solving the problems of the country from the rooftops.
“We believe that for functionality, we have to correct the structure, which is at the centre of constitutional change.
“A Nigeria that works has to be designed by the people. We need to place the grassroots at the heart of the Nigeria project.”
In a related trend, activist Aisha Yesufu advocated for citizen participation in the political process.
The government, according to Yesufu, should involve the citizens in decision-making.
“We need to understand that people have the right to make demands and ask for explanations. Asking questions is good, and that means they believe in government.
“There should be an attitudinal change. Presently, the local government’s loyalty has been to the state government, not the people who elected them. That has to change,” she said.
