Prof Akin in the National Conference

Prof. Akin Oyebode yesterday caused a stir at
the National Conference when he proposed
that Nigeria should change its name to United
States of Songhai (USS). The professor, who is
representing Ekiti State in the Conference,
said that Nigeria should be changed to United States of Songhai just
like Kwame Nkruma
changed the former Gold Coast to Ghana. He
said that it was obvious that Nigeria as the
name of the country has outlived its
usefulness. He said, "I propose that we
change the name of Nigeria to United States of Songhai just like
Nkruma changed Gold Coast
to Ghana," adding that the country is
operating caricature federation. Oyebode
noted that the Deputy Senate President, Ike
Ekweremadu, aptly said the country is
running 'feeding bottle' federalism. The conference, he added, should
consider the
issue of fiscal federalism, true federalism,
resource control or self determination. Ralph
Osanaiye, a retired Assistant Inspector
General of Police, said that problem of the
country started when some leaders decided to run down security
agencies by starving
them of funds and denying them arms and
ammunitions. He said that the policy to run
down security agencies was deliberate in
order to weaken them and incapacitate them
from carrying out their primary responsibilitie s. Michael Olukoya,
president of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), traced
the challenges facing the country to faulty
foundation, saying primary schools have been
systematically destroyed by people who
benefited from public school system. The NUT
boss, who represents the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the
Conference, said that in
Benue State teachers had been on strike for
over six months without anybody talking.