By Praise Chinecherem
Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku on Saturday said the current constitution Nigeria is operating with could not effectively address its prevailing economic and other challenges.
Anyaoku who stated this while speaking with reporters at his country home in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State described the challenges as serious.
He argued that a pluralistic state, Nigeria would need to return to the principles of the constitution agreed by the nation’s founding fathers.
He said, “The current challenges being faced by the nation, the challenge of poverty, the challenge of insecurity, the challenge of break down of infrastructure, are all serious challenges.
“I am on record for saying, that these challenges can not be effectively addressed under the constitution and governance system we have at the moment.
“We can not effectively address these challenges, challenges are nation wide, insecurity is nation wide, there is greater insecurity in the northern parts of the country than in the southern parts”, he said.
Speaking further on insecurity and the assassination of some President General in the South East, by their assailant, Anyaoku stressed that the current constitution was a departure from the constitution that the nation’s founding fathers negotiated and agreed.
“The constitution for a pluralistic state as Nigeria, we have to return to the principles of those, of the constitution agreed by our founding fathers.
“Until we do that, I am afraid that we can not effectively deal with the challenges that face the nation”, he added.
When asked about the Monday sit-at-home observed in the south east region and the negative effects on the economy, the elder stateman, said that the sit-at-home was doing great damage to economy.
“The sit-at-home at home is doing great damage to the economy of the south east region, I do not support the idea, I think it is doing great damage to the economy. We have to deal with the root cause of sit-at-home, which is the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.
“Not with standing the fact that the court of law had ordered his release, that word gives those who advocate and participate in sit-at-home the reason for doing so.
“I think that the cause of the sit-at-home should be addressed, I do not think that the sit-at-home should be maintained, it should be stopped.”
On the significant of Ito-Ogbo, the traditional event that is celebrated every three years in his community, Anyaoku, said that those who have attained the age of 80 years are celebrated, adding that the Igbo culture respect age as it is believed that age brings wisdom.
