Former Minister of Education and policy advocate, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, has criticized the Nigerian National Assembly’s ongoing efforts to amend the constitution, describing the entire process as insincere and ineffective.
Speaking at the 7th Penpushing Anniversary and Annual Lecture held in Ogun State, Ezekwesili condemned what she described as the National Assembly’s failure to address fundamental issues plaguing Nigeria’s federal structure.
“The ongoing constitutional amendment cannot work, it cannot address our problem, it is a charade and sheer waste of resources. The demand for a new constitution is a matter of life and death,” Ezekwesili said during her keynote address on Reworking Nigeria’s Federalism: Perspectives on Restructuring and Fiscal Federalism.
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The ex-minister drew an analogy to emphasize the gravity of the situation: “For instance, when the engineer tells us that the foundation of a building is structurally defective, is it not to take the whole building down because it will continue to constitute an endangerment to the people.
“You won’t say, Oga, can we just do some little adjustment to the building, no, it won’t work, and this is same with nation building.”
Calling for a people-led process, she urged the media and civil society to advocate for a constitutional conference that would enable Nigerians to define a framework for true federalism through open and inclusive dialogue.
“The media should take the front seat and be at the vanguard of a demand for new constitution. We must have a constitutional conference that enables the people of this country to have honest conversation around things that will make us make progress and make Nigeria work for all of us.”
She further called for a referendum on a new constitution emerging from such a constituent assembly: “This is what Kenya did after almost collapsing, and since then, you never hear them talking about break-up, they will talk about the need for good leaders.”
Ezekwesili warned that Nigeria and other African countries are being overrun by political elites who operate like organized criminal syndicates, bent on capturing state institutions for selfish gains.
“Unfortunately, today’s politics has been hijacked, what we now have is a criminal enterprise gang and this is not only in Nigeria but across the continent.”
She stressed that without changing the structure and leadership quality, economic and democratic progress would remain elusive: “There is nothing that is mysterious about good governance, this thing has been done elsewhere and could be replicated here in the country.”
On his part, former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), Ambassador Sarafadeen Ishola, noted that the current practice of federalism in Nigeria exists largely in theory but not in substance.
He argued that it fails to empower federating units or encourage competition necessary for national development.
Ishola emphasized the need for reforms grounded in accountability, transparency, and effective power-sharing mechanisms.
“True federalism is not only about devolution of power but about responsible governance, institutional clarity, fiscal equity, and citizen-driven accountability,” he said.
He called on Nigerians to view restructuring not as a sectional demand but as a pathway to national transformation.
In his opening remarks, Penpushing Media founder Mr. Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji said the platform remains committed to fostering constructive discourse through its annual lecture series and youth-focused initiatives.
He noted that the platform has trained more than 80 mass communication students and sponsors an annual award for outstanding graduates.
The event also featured goodwill messages from notable dignitaries including former presidential spokesman Mr. Femi Adesina; Deaconess Funke Fadugba, former NUJ Lagos Chairman; and Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, who chaired the planning committee.
