A professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Ilorin, Professor Emmanuel O. Ojo, has called for the repeal of the Land Use Act.
He said this will allow communities endowed with mineral resources to benefit directly from their natural wealth rather than the existing system that, according to him, “robs Peter to pay Paul.”
Ojo, a former Chief of Staff to the late Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, made the call in Ilorin while delivering the 291st inaugural lecture of the university titled “The Worship of an Unknown Deity.”
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He suggested that royalties from solid minerals should be paid into the federal purse, while states should be allowed to manage resources found within their territories.
The don stressed that a properly restructured federal system was essential for sustainable development and national integration. He said power must be devolved to the states and local governments to strengthen governance and ensure efficiency at all levels.
“The earlier this is done, the better for the polity,” he stated, adding that local governments must be reanimated to perform their constitutional roles effectively.
Professor Ojo also highlighted the need to address what he called “problematic citizenship” in Nigeria.
He advocated for a system where any Nigerian who has lived in a state for at least ten years would not face discrimination based on origin or residency status.
He further called for a review of the revenue allocation formula to complement power devolution, arguing that sub national governments must be financially empowered to function effectively.
“What Nigeria needs today,” he said, “is a non-centralised federal system where state governments are politically virile, legislatively strong, and financially resilient. They must earn the loyalty and respect of the citizens they serve and exercise authority with confidence and accountability.”
He also called on the Federal Government to strengthen the federal character principle and embark on a constitutional referendum to address Nigeria’s lingering challenges.
According to him, extending the federal character principle beyond employment opportunities to include equitable distribution of infrastructure will ensure balanced development and national cohesion.
He urged Nigerians to embrace what he described as a “federal spirit” in all aspects of governance, saying such an attitude would promote fairness and justice while discouraging ethnic chauvinism.
The political scientist emphasised that a radical way to achieve true federalism was through a new constitution, insisting that the current one was “defective and an imposition by the military oligarchy.”
He argued that the existing system had led to what he termed “federal immobilism.”
“To achieve a genuine federal structure, Nigeria may need to organise a referendum, constitutional convention, or constituent assembly whose members will be elected,” he said.
