The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has described Nigeria’s current system of governance as fundamentally flawed, insisting that the country is no longer operating a true federal structure.
He made the assertion on Wednesday during an interview on a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, where he reviewed Nigeria’s political evolution and its implications for development and security.
According to him, what exists today is a highly centralised system that has weakened the autonomy of states and local governments, thereby limiting effective governance at the grassroots.
Adams argued that Nigeria’s original federal arrangement at independence in 1960 was built on regional autonomy, which allowed different parts of the country to develop based on their strengths and priorities.
He, however, maintained that military interventions disrupted that structure, introducing a more unitary style of governance that has persisted over time.
He said the shift altered the country’s constitutional direction and created long term challenges for governance and development.
“I subscribed to true federalism,” Adams said, insisting that the current arrangement has distorted the foundation upon which Nigeria was built.
He explained that the expansion of the exclusive legislative list over the years has further reduced the powers of states and local governments, making them overly dependent on the federal government.
According to him, this imbalance has weakened governance at the subnational level and contributed to inefficiency in service delivery across the country.
Adams also criticised the country’s security structure, arguing that governors who are referred to as chief security officers lack real control over security agencies.
He said the inability of state leaders to control policing within their jurisdictions has worsened insecurity and created confusion in command structures.
“So what I notice is that the system we are running now is not a federal system. It is completely a unitary system of government,” he stated.
He further compared Nigeria’s structure with other federations, noting that decentralised policing systems in countries like the United States allow for more effective security management.
Adams warned that failure to address the structural imbalance could deepen national frustrations and increase agitation across different parts of the country.
He maintained that restructuring remains the most viable option for ensuring stability, unity and sustainable development, adding that Nigeria must urgently revisit the principles of true federalism.
