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Fashola Calls For Revolution Of Ideas

Apr 3, 2008 - Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola on Thursday called for a revolution of ideas in the Nigerian nation that would ensure that the average Nigerian says no to anything bad and ensure that such acts are stamped out.

The Governor spoke at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs Victoria Island where political and legal heavyweights gathered for the public presentation of three books written by respected constitutional lawyer and academic, Professor Ben Nwabueze (SAN).

He added that until every Nigerian begins to imbibe the culture of respecting the law and allowing the law to apply to everyone irrespective of class, it is only then the nation can take good advantage of law as man¢s greatest invention.

Governor Fashola while expressing reservation over the manner in which the 1979 constitution was jettisoned also called for caution on the issue of review of the 1999 constitution, arguing that the writers of the 1979 constitution made painstaking efforts to ensure a thorough document saying the 1999 constitution should not also be discarded based on few imperfections.

The Governor argued that experience has shown that when a new constitution is vilified and thrown out such laws often return to use through the backdoor under a new colouration.

While prescribing eternal vigilance as the only key to freedom for all Nigerians, he added that the decision to regulate man through law constitutes the greatest action of man in sanitizing society.

Speaking earlier, former Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu called for concerted efforts on the part of everyone to ensure that everyone is free, insisting that no freedom is served as free lunch , but must be fought for.

He likened former President Olusegun Obasanjo¢s battle against other public official to that of the big cat who is busy chasing little rodents with crumbs from the table.

He saluted the courage of the author who has been responsible for ensuring legal intervention for many public officials especially during troubled times.

In his contribution former Vice President Atiku Abubakar called on all Nigerians to resist the attempt by the ruling national party PDP to colour and create Nigeria in its own image.

He called on all Nigerians to come together to save the country by working together to overcome all anti democratic forces.

Alhaji Atiku said the people are at the centre of all definitions of democracy as such they must be able to freely elect their leaders.

He regretted that in the last eight years, Nigeria has been plummeting in democratic governance resulting in the country stagnating while many of its peers are already moving on to the first world.

He added that since independence, the nation has never been so rich yet so miserable with the level of poverty and cynicism and despondency growing so high.

While reviewing the book which is in a set of three, both Professors Itse Sagay and Yemi Osibajo agreed that the author as an authority on constitutional matters did justice to the many atrocities of the Obasanjo years.

In his address, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Olisa Agbakoba described the status quo mentality as the greatest problem confronting Nigerians.

He wondered why several political leaders who readily criticize the actions of Obasanjo decided to stay back and participate in the same government with him when they were expected to walk the talk.

While speaking, the author of the book, Professor Ben Nwabueze described Governor Babatunde Fashola as a governor who within nine months has successfully changed the face of Lagos positively.

He identified the docility and the passivity of the National Assembly as one of the contributory factor to the failure to check the excesses of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He called for the evolvement of an ethic of resistance and civil disobedience that would precipitate the people's revolution, saying the rot in the society has sunk in very deeply.

The occasion was witnessed by former governors Chief James Ibori, Orji Uzor Kalu, Chris Ngige, Ayo Fayose and Rtd Gen Theopillus Danjuma ,Senator Ben Obi and Chief G.O.K Ajayi among others.