We must restructure Nigeria to achieve development – AGA candidate

The Presidential Candidate of All Grassroots Alliance(AGA), Mr Chuks Nwachukwu, on Saturday said the restructuring of Nigeria was a necessary step to achieving sustainable development.

Nwachukwu spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN ) in Lagos on the sidelines of the 55th anniversary celebration of the Apostolic Church Grammar School, Ketu and the re-union party of the school’s old students.

“Most of the challenges this country is facing are due to the faulty structures it is running on.

“Until and unless the country adopts and operates on the right structures, real development will continue to elude the country,” the AGA presidential candidate said.

He said his own idea of the restructuring that would work was one that would make the 500 ethnic communities in the country semi-autonomous, while still maintaining a strong centre.

Nwachukwu said the idea would enable the ethnic communities to actualise and unleash their potential for the accelerated development of all parts of the country.

“My idea of restructuring is historical. When the white man came here, he met independent ethnic communities taking care of themselves in the way they knew best.

“He took away their power to take care of themselves and created a country, and then divided it into different administrative divisions for his administrative convenience.

“Now when he said he gave independence, he gave independence to the country he created and not independence to the ethnic communities.

“There was no independence for the ethnic nationalities that he met, so until that is done, there will be no independence and progress.

“So, my idea of restructuring is that the independent nationalities that the white man met should become autonomous in one Nigeria.

“We have about 500 ethnic communities and this high number making up a country will excite the world and project our cultures and promote tourism.

“The idea will also empower the communities to realise and unleash their potential for development,” he said.

Nwachukwu, a member of The Apostolic Church Grammar School Old Students Association (TACGSOSA), said he was very glad to re-unite and mingle with some of his old school mates in Ketu.

He said he was particularly impressed by the way old students of different political parties, faiths and tribes interacted freely in nostalgic convivality.

Nwachukwu, also a former president of TACGOSA, said the way old students interacted was a lesson in unity for the country.

He commended the current executive of the association for organising the programme, saying the gathering had reconnected them to the school and their old friends.

Also speaking, the National President of TACGOSA ,Mr Ademola Olukayode, said the aim of the association was to give back to the school and support its development.