DELEGATE SUGGESTS NIGERIA'S NAME SHOULD BE CHANGED TO USS

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 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.

Source; The Nation Newspaper online news