Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has said the adoption of late Mallam Aminu Kano’s “social order” will address the nation’s recurring challenges.
He said the national rebirth founded by the renowned statesman and foremost Northern political leader is needed in the quest to surmount the socio-economic and political challenges.
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Delivering a keynote address at the 21 anniversary of Aminu Kano Center for Democratic Studies, Mambayya House, Kano, Fayemi lamented how sensitive issues are crawling into the fabric of ethnic and religious inclination, threatening the security architecture of the country.
He described the late political sage as epitome of modesty, simplicity and moderation, whose political ideology and empowerment of the downtrodden which qualities are fast diminishing among politicians in the country.
Speaking on the legacies of Aminu Kano, in his paper titled Democracy, “Good Governance and the Question of National Integration in Nigeria”, Fayemi said the citizen empowerment articulated by the generation of Mallam Aminu Kano was well structured around the provision through public policy of basic tools by which individuals and groups could advance themselves in life.
“Efficient provision of education and health as part of basic foundation of true governance and social policy enjoyed by Nigerians during the day of Aminu Kano and other nationalists, however, regretted that the onset of economic crisis which began in the early 1980’s, triggered the structural adjustment measures that continue to rear its ugly head in the present day governance, manifesting in massive unemployment, growing social inequality and security threat.”
Fayemi, therefore, suggested that Nigeria must evolve a new social bargain that will redesign universal social policies which will enable the generality of Nigeria to renew confidence in government and the country.
He said, “Thinking through what a new social compact for Nigeria might be, we can borrow a leaf from the late Mal Aminu Kano and resolve that as part and parcel of the bargain of being a citizen of Nigeria; we will strive to design universal social policies that will enable the generality of our people to renew their faith in the country and their government.
“Universal access to education should be accompanied by a system of universal health care.
“It should be underpinned with a national strategy that defines employment creation as a priority concern to public policy. Enhanced efforts at boosting domestic resource mobilization will need to be accompanied by deliberate measures at redistribution designed to reduce wealth, income, gender, and inter-generational inequality.”
