Noble Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, says restructuring has become inevitable for the nation to prevail over its challenges.
Soyinka spoke at the Punch Nigeria Ltd 50th Anniversary Lecture titled “Recovering the Narrative at Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Delivering a lecture on the theme, Soyinka said that Nigerians did not have to go through unending hardship to live better.
He said that restructuring remained the panacea to sustainable development of the nation.
Soyinka said those leading the country recognized the importance of restructuring and its inevitability but were not adopting it, for whatever reason.
He said: “It is about time that leaders of this nation stopped taking us for a ride.
“Do we have to go through surrogates, dismantling empires to come to fulfillment?
“Decentralize simply so that government can come closer to the people and productivity ability manifested as a product of citizens, not simply as a manna from heaven.
“Let me state quite clearly that no one has ever claimed that decentralization – a precise word I prefer – will end hunger in the land or terminate religious conflicts and other forms of national malaise, no.
“We simply insist that this is central to the incomplete mission of – nation-being.
“It is essential to activities of basic existence such as food production, and access to such products. Palliatives remain crude, short-term, stop-gap measures only,” he said.
According to him, restructuring is necessary to maximize development.
Soyinka noted that the provision of palliatives to the suffering masses was just a stopgap.
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Calling for genuine action on restructuring, Soyinka decried that many conferences on the subject had not yielded positive results.
Soyinka said that the government should restore dignity to citizens and guarantee three square meals a day for the people.
On the media, Soyinka said that humanity could be transformed if language and media were positively used.
According to him, the nation has to ensure the free flow of information without undue censorship.
Stressing the importance of a good justice system in a nation, Soyinka decried cases of brutal killings of media practitioners without getting justice.
Earlier in her opening remarks, the Chairman of Punch Nigeria Ltd, Mrs Angela Emuwa, said that the theme was a call to action in recovering the narrative and shaping the future all Nigerians would be proud of.
Describing the anniversary as no mean feat, Emuwa, expressed the organization’s gratitude to all its long-standing partners and audiences for the journey so far.
“It is a rallying cry for the media and responsible actors to reclaim their rightful place as the guardians of facts, truth and justice, and the voice of the people.
“This is so because, in a world inundated with information, the power to shape narratives is a formidable responsibility and one that should not be taken lightly.
“As the most widely read newspaper in the nation, PUNCH has not only been a witness to history but a key player in shaping narratives.
“Our 50-year resilient is a testament to the power of the press in influencing positive change, upholding the values of democracy, and championing the cause of the people.
“We hope that the impact of our 50-year journey will serve as a source of inspiration to all.
“We have weathered storms, stood against oppression, championed the cause of justice, and yet we remain unbowed and unbroken,” Emuwa said.
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She called on all stakeholders to join hands with the PUNCH “in this crucial mission and stand firm as PUNCH goes into the next 50 years doing what it knows how to do best.”
She added: “I want to take this moment to express my deepest gratitude to all our friends who have stood by us over the decades.
“Your support has been invaluable, and it is your belief in our mission that propels us forward.
The lecture was in memory of Chief James Aboderin, the founding Chairman of the newspaper.
The event had in attendance media executives, captains of industries, academics, leaders of thought, and security chiefs, among others.
Other dignitaries at the events included a former Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Mr Bayo Onanugu: former spokesman to immediate past President, Garba Shehu, among others.
