How to save Nigeria – Eminent citizens

On February 7, 2012 · In Headlines BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & DAPO AKINREFON LAGOS -  Eminent citizens, yesterday, took a critical look at the state of affairs in the country and returned a grim verdict: Nigeria is on the brink of collapse and needs to be saved. Drawn from the six geo-political zones of the country, the citizens, including politicians, lawyers, activists, religious leaders, monarchs and members of the academia were unanimous in condemning corruption, insecurity, poor state of infrastructure and inability of successive governments to develop the country.  They all agreed that the country, as a matter of urgency, must find a winning formula to improve on the fortune of the citizenry, 70 per cent of whom live below the poverty

line. However, they were divided on how to save the sinking ship of state. While some canvassed convocation of a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) to restructure the country into a true federal state, others said a national conference would be sufficient. There were also some who feared that a national dialogue would lead to the disintegration of the country. continued