Federalism: Restructuring Nigeria won’t make a difference – Osinbajo

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has faulted the various calls for the restructuring of Nigeria, saying it will not make any difference.

According to a statement on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, the Vice-President made his position known while answering questions from the audience after delivering the second foundation lecture of the Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, titled “The future is here earlier than we thought.”

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar had recently advocated the restructuring of the country to ensure the development and growth of the federating units.

But Akande quoted Osinbajo as saying that calling for restructuring of the country simply because the Federal Government was controlling a bigger portion of the resources might not be helpful or make a difference.

“Even if states are given half of the resources of the Federal Government, the situation will not change. The only change is to diversify the economy,” the Vice-President was quoted to have told the gathering.

Osinbajo regretted that Nigeria was no longer earning enough income from oil and taxes.

He however expressed the belief that the paucity of funds currently facing states in the country could end if state governments focussed on agriculture.

“We are not earning enough from oil and taxes anymore. The nation is blessed; every state can feed itself and also export if we engage in agriculture,” he said.

The Vice-President also advised Nigerian youths against being what he called “mono-skilled graduates,” saying “multi-skilling” was crucial to national development.

He urged the youth to embrace technology and be more creative and inventive.

He said people could no longer just be, for instance, an economist, an accountant, a graduate of international relations, Mass Communication or Performing Arts, saying “you must learn to be a versatile operator not a mono-skilled graduate.