Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, says state governors should stop being timid and push for greater autonomy.
According to the laureate, state governors should take sole control in ensuring the welfare of the people rather than be enmeshed in a centralized mentality.
The Nobel laureate made his thoughts known when he spoke on Saturday at the virtual Obafemi Awolowo lecture with the theme, ‘Whither Nigeria?’
“I want to make a plea to all governors, stop being so timid. Push this federal envelope as far as it can go, even while we undertake the technical aspect of restructuring.
“Whether in terms of dialogue, evolving the constitution or whatever, something has to go on, after all, we’ve had so many of these confabs.
“My plea is to governors to start with the immediate responsibility of the welfare of your people in whatever term and if you study the constitution carefully, I have done this with lawyers, and it seems that a lot can be done at this moment.
“Consult with your lawyers, I have consulted with mine and they also expressed the view that the governors are too timid, there is too much-centralized mentality embedded in their minds and they are afraid to come out of their cocoons.
“You need a season of greater autonomy for your states and that is what I mean by pushing the federal envelope as far as it can go even with this impossible document that we have to cease what power, what authority you can derive from the constitution,” he said.
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