Campus News

Address citizenship issues for national integration, Ojo tasks stakeholders

By Abubakar Imam

A former Head of the Department of Political Science, University of Ilorin, Prof. Emmanuel Olugbade Ojo, has encouraged political leaders and other stakeholders across Nigeria to critically reconsider the issue of citizenship in the country once and for all in order to enhance national integration.

Prof. Ojo, who is also a former Chief of Staff to a Former Governor of  Oyo State, late Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajumobi, stated this last Thursday (October 16, 2025) while delivering the 291st Inaugural Lecture of the University titled, “The Worship of An Unknown Deity”,  at the University Auditorium.

While saying that ‘statism’ may not be completely abrogated, Prof. Ojo said that there is the need to properly conceptualise citizenship both legally and sociologically for national integration and development to be achieved.

He suggested that once a Nigerian citizen  resides in any part of the country for a minimum of ten years, such a person should not be discriminated against in any guise at such a place and should enjoy all rights and privileges available to all those who were born at such a place.

Prof. Ojo also proposed that Nigerians should imbibe a ‘federal spirit’ in all ramifications. He said that doing so will, no doubt, enhance the principle of justice and equity, and not necessarily equality.

He explained that the embrace of the ‘Federal Spirit’ will surely truncate ethnic chauvinism and ensure that Nigerians see themselves as one and the same people.

The Inaugural Lecturer, however, said that the principle of federal character must be strengthened both in job opportunities and infrastructure provisions to enhance spatial development.

Prof. Ojo also proposed the repeal of the Land Use Act to allow communities naturally endowed with mineral resources to maximally benefit from them rather than the extant system that is known to be, robbing Peter to pay Paul as he said that royalty should be paid into the federal purse rather than federal government taking over solid minerals in state domains.

Prof. Ojo equally said that a properly restructured federal architecture is of essence for development and national integration, particularly in an heterogenous country like Nigeria.

He also suggested that power must be properly devolved to both the states and localities for an efficient federal system. He explained that the earlier this is done, the better for the polity as he said that local governments should also be reanimated for them to discharge their responsibilities effectively.

Prof. Ojo also suggested the drafting of a brand new Federal Constitution for the country as he said that “the extant ground norm is essentially defective and an imposition by the military oligarchy, which has led to what he called ‘‘federal immobilism”.

To achieve this, Prof. Ojo proposed that Nigeria should organise a Referendum or Constitutional Convention or Constituent Assembly, whose membership may have to be elected.

He also canvassed tinkering with the present contentious revenue allocation formula in order to make more resources available to subnational units and complement power devolution to the lower tiers of government.

The renowned political scientist also said that Nigeria needs a non-centralised federal system in which state governments are politically virile, legislatively strong, and financially resilient and, indeed, constituted into self-confident and self-assertive centres of respect by the political loyalty from the citizens they serve and over whom they exercise authority.

The Inaugural Lecture, which was presided-over by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Moji Taibat Bakare-Odunola, was also attended by colleagues, friends, relations and students of Prof. Ojo from far and near.