Lets Change Nigeria's Name..Professor Tells Natl 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 usefuln...ess. 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 responsibilities. 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.