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Nigeria’s Federal System: Agitation For Disintegration May Escalate If… – Don Warns

Published

3 years ago

June 4, 2023

Prof. Edoba Omoregie

A Professor of Comparative Constitutional Law and Governance, Edoba Bright Omoregie, has advocated an urgent correction to the anomalies in the Nigeria’s federal system in order to avoid the looming “violent disintegration.”

He warned that if the country continue to witness the kind of resistance to federalism reforms as experienced particularly in the last few years, the risk of disintegration may escalate.

Prof. Omoregie, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), made these assertions while delivering University of Benin Inaugural Lecture titled ‘Nigeria’s Federal System In a Quandary: The Whys and Hows to fix it.’

Omoregie who identified the principle of power sharing; incoherent system of federal solidarity and non-obligation to provide minimum standard of living for citizens, etc, as major banes of Nigeria’s federal system, said the “adoption in the quest for federalism reforms in Nigeria would not be if the current imbalance in the distribution powers be reversed.”

“We must do everything possible to avoid the looming violent disintegration, because we are heading towards that direction. The sign of possible disintegration is glaring. This is happening in Ethiopia and other countries. So, we need to fix our faulty federal system to avoid violent disintegration,” he added.

According to him, lack of autonomy in horizontal and management of the states; lack of autonomy in access to significant tax revenue sources are all major challenges causing agitation for disintegration.

He added: “The 1999 Constitution institutes a federal system which denies the states their autonomy relative to the Federal Government… It is manifest in fiscal allocation and inter-government revenue relationship by which the states are denied direct and autonomous access to significant tax revenue source.”

He continued: “State governments have also been denied autonomy in the horizontal organisation and management of their internal adminstration. The first point where this is manifest is the enacting of a single national constitution and the implied prohibition of sub-national constitutions. This is in constrast to the country’s pre-1966 federal system when the regions had their own regional constitutions in addition to the national constitution.”

He, therefore, advocated that “high premium should be placed on federalism expertise to promote the imperative of federalisation and reform constested aspects of the Nigeria’s federal system, while forestalling unprincipled constitution alteration of the system.”

He further said “a well-resourced expert-driven reform and constitution alteration of unsatisfactory aspects of the Nigeria’s federal system,” should be put in place.”

According to him, “the deployment of policy federalism to address gaps in the dysfunctional aspects of Nigeria’s federal system pending constitutional alteration,” should be encouraged.

While noting that the Federal Government has taken more than it can deliver, the scholar further advocated establishment of institutions wherein true federalism would be taught.

In his goodwill message, a former Minority Whip, House of Representatives, Dr. Samson Osagie said the guest lecturer placed “within the context of the complicated federal structure Nigeria pretends to be operating at the moment.”

According to Osagie, “indeed in the midst of the confusion created by the constitution which vests all powers on the Federal Government, (as items in both the Exclusive and Concurrent lists are items on which the Federal Government has powers to legislate) Nigeria in actual practice is actually a Unitary State with abundant and unworkable principles of Federalism.”

News

Migration Agency Warns Migrants Against Irregular Travel Routes

Published

2 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with Giving is Healing Foundation, has sensitised residents of Ayobo in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State on the dangers of irregular migration and the need to embrace legal travel procedures.

Speaking during a sensitisation programme held at Megida Ifelodu Community Development Association in Ayobo, the founder of Giving is Healing Foundation, Mr. Gbolahan Ayediran, warned intending migrants against using illegal travel routes.

Ayediran said many Nigerians desire to migrate abroad in search of better opportunities but often ignore proper procedures, thereby exposing themselves to several dangers.

“Lots of people want to migrate and most of them do it in the wrong direction. The reason for the programme is for us to advise people on how they can migrate in the right way. As much as migration is their right, they should do it correctly,” he said.

He advised intending travellers to obtain the necessary travel documents before embarking on any journey, noting that such documents include international passports, visas, flight tickets and yellow cards, depending on the destination country.

According to him, migrants should also gather adequate information about their destination countries to enable them make informed decisions before travelling.

Ayediran further highlighted some of the dangers associated with irregular migration, including abuse, exploitation, discrimination and forced labour.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Megida Ifelodu Community Development Association, Elder Mathews Amusan, commended the organisers for enlightening members of the community on safe migration practices.

He urged residents planning to travel abroad to always follow legal migration procedures to avoid falling victim to human trafficking and other migration-related challenges.

One of the participants, Mr. Kolawole Adenoko, said the programme enlightened him on the dangers of irregular migration and the importance of travelling through the proper channels.

He added that he would also educate his relatives and friends on the risks associated with illegal migration.

News

Shatta Wale Bailed Burna Boy From Ghana Prison After Arrest For Smoking Weed – Captan

Published

5 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

Ghanian singer, Captan, has claimed that his former record label boss, Shatta Wale, once bailed Nigerian singer Burna Boy out of prison in Ghana after he was allegedly arrested for smoking weed.

Speaking in a recent podcast interview, Captan claimed that Shatta Wale sent him and others to free Burna Boy from police custody.

He also claimed that Shatta Wale and his group once accommodated Burna Boy when he was being hunted by some dangerous men.

Captan said, “I once bailed Burna Boy out of prison in Ghana when he was arrested for smoking weed. Shatta Wale sent me and some guys to go and free him from police custody.

“There was a time we also accommodated him when some people were after his life. We helped him settle the case.”

He added that he and Burna Boy are no longer in good terms after the Nigerian artist’s fallout with his mentor, Shatta Wale.

He, however, said he and Shatta Wale are open to reconciling with Burna Boy if he asks for it.

Watch the video here

News

Children’s Day: Chaos At Ogbe Stadium As Dozens Faint

Published

20 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Editor

Chaos erupted on Wednesday during the Children’s Day celebration as dozens of students reportedly collapsed following a stampede triggered by the use of pepper spray.

The event,
organised by the Edo State Ministry of Education at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium was disrupted after some male students of Ihogbe College allegedly made uncompromising advances towards female students at the venue.
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‎ A parent who identified himself as Oboh Emmanuel said, “the behaviour of those uncultured students attracted the attention of bouncers stationed at the stadium as they rebuked the male students.”
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‎Oboh said the affected students later regrouped and attacked the bouncers, leading to a confrontation within the crowded arena.

READ ALSO:Children’s Day: Edo Commits To Child Protection
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It was gathered that in the ensuing confusion, the bouncers were reported to have deployed pepper spray in an area occupied by a large number of students.
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‎Several students, particularly female students, reportedly fainted after inhaling the substance, while others sustained injuries after being stepped on during the ensuing melee.
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‎The panic was said to have spread across the stadium as students, teachers and parents scampered for safety.
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‎Many of the affected students were reportedly rushed to the Edo Specialist Hospital for medical attention.

Reacting to the incident, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Dr Patrick Ebojele, said the security personnel that fired the tear gas had been detained.

He said all the students, except two, that were rushed to the hospital have been discharged.

Ebojele stated that doctors wanted to observe the students till tomorrow before allowing them to go home.

“The two students are not seriously injured. Doctors want to observe them overnight. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education is still at the hospital. The man who used pepper spray has been detained.

“The incident did not happen the way it is being exaggerated. All modalities were put in place to ensure the children enjoyed their day.”
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