Traditional worshippers, under the aegis of Ijo Orunmila Adulawo and led by Oluwo Ifagbemi Adedotun Fajobi, have endorsed the Bill on Return to the Parliamentary System of Government previously practiced in Nigeria’s First Republic, urging Nigerians to throw their weight behind such a move.
It would be recalled that 60 members of the House of Representatives, led by the Minority Leader, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, had proposed a return to the Parliamentary System from the Presidential System of Government as part of the ongoing Constitution Review being undertaken by the National Assembly.
The parliamentarians had said last Wednesday while presenting the bill at the plenary, that they targeted 2031 as the latest for Nigeria to jettison the presidential system and return to the parliamentary system of government.
The group made the call in its communiqué issued at the end of its first Congress in the new year, which took place at its country headquarters in Ososa, Ijebu, Ogun State, at the weekend.
expressing frustration with the expensive presidential system and the overbearing powers of the president.
Oluwo Fajobi, who briefed newsmen while further expressing the group’s frustration with the expensiveness of the Presidential System of Government, among others, said it was high time they opted for the Parliamentary System of Government and jettison the current system, which “was not working for us as a nation.”
According to him, under the current Presidential System, prices of commodities had, on a daily basis, been skyrocketing, making life unbearable for all and sundry.
“The proposal we traditionalists are seeking is to revert to the First Republic system with a prime minister, a member of parliament, serving as the head of government, similar to the British system,” Oluwo Fajobi said.
Besides, Fajobi said the group, as part of its communique, pleaded that Nigerians should not jettison traditional religion and ways of handling things, especially when putting political officeholders in office.
He said that to this end, the group recommends that henceforth traditional materials like cutlass, locally-made guns, and axes should be used for would-be office holders for their swearing-into office, pointing out that such would further instil fears in their minds, as once suggested by the former Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Wande Abimbola.
Oluwo Fajobi argued that Prof. Abimbola had suggested such an approach due to the belief that everyone “has our traditional ways and will always act in check and balance because there is already a lay-down repercussion that if you do so and so, this would be the consequence, or consequence as the case may be.”
This was just as he quickly recalled the sad incidences of the traditional rulers either being kidnapped or killed, saying that they should be allowed to undergo all the necessary pre-kingship rituals (Ipebi), which would not make them just ordinary monarchs that would be dealt with just like that.
Speaking further, the Spiritual Head of Ijo Orunmila Adulawo, Oluwo Fajobi, enjoined the present administration to encourage farming, even as he reminded the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration that farming had gone far with a lot of research and technology know-how, which “if urgently implemented, could salvage the country from further losing our youths and potentials to the foreign trips.”
He also counselled that tourism should be embraced, citing examples of tourist attractions and sites that can be further developed and bring in money for the country.
“Let the foreigners bring money from their countries and visit our tourist attractions like Olumo Rock in Abeokuta and Ikogosi Water Spring in Erin Ijesha. We have zoos at the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and many others,” he said.
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