- Safiu Kehinde
Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu, has disagreed with President Bola Tinubu’s claim of fixing the nation’s economy under the current Nigerian constitution.
Reacting to the Nigerian President’s response to The Patriot, a non-partisan group of eminent Nigerians, who paid a visit last week, Moghalu expressed his disapproval of the President’s approach to economic reforms.
He made this known in a statement issued on his X handle earlier today,
According to Moghalu, who is also a member of the group, it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to bring a fundamental fix to Nigeria’s economy in the absence of a new constitution that is anchored on real federalism, and preferably anchored on a regional structure of 6-12 regions.
Stating the reason for his assertion, Moghalu noted that there is no unity of purpose and no cohering worldview which is because Nigerians perspective about the nation differs.
“What Nigeria’s leaders fail to understand is that it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to bring a fundamental fix to Nigeria’s economy in the absence of a new constitution that is anchored on real federalism, and preferably anchored on a regional structure of 6-12 regions. The reason is that Nigeria is a country but not yet a nation.
“There is no unity of purpose, no cohering worldview. And this is because the country means different things to different groups.
“The very essence of Nigeria, what it is in reality (as opposed to the “one indivisible entity” parroted by its leaders for decades) is fundamentally contested.
“As examples of economically successful nations all over the world show, real nationhood is a fundamental requirement for an economic rise based on productivity-driven transformation.” He wrote.
While urging Tinubu to take to the group’s advise and admit to the pluralistic state of Nigeria, Moghalu warned of possible disintegration if the government fails to turn the nation’s plurality into a workable nationhood.
“The longer this matter is delayed (presumably because it is a sensitive and politically challenging matter) the more we will continue to struggle.
“Even more fundamentally, as the eminent diplomat reminded President Tinubu (essentially), Nigeria as a pluralistic country that refuses to turn its plurality into a workable nationhood through an appropriate federal constitution, runs the risk of disintegration in the medium to long term.” Moghalu added.