A Former Senator and elder statesman, Femi Okurounmu, has described Nigeria as ungovernable under the current political system, citing structural imbalances and governance failures that had exacerbated insecurity across the country.
Speaking during an exclusive interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, Ogun State, on Wednesday, Okurounmu argued that decades of superficial reforms and ineffective decentralization have left the country vulnerable to both internal and external threats.
He explained that state policing could serve as a realistic measure to curb insecurity but emphasized that it may not be a substitute for a deeper systemic reform.
Okurounmu maintained that Nigeria’s current configuration has made effective governance almost impossible. “Nigeria as one country cannot work, I’ve told you. Cannot work. There’s no shame in that,” he said, stressing the need for a national dialogue on the country’s future.
The member of the Nigerian First Senate explained that while some constitutional and legal measures, such as local government autonomy, have been introduced, they have largely benefited political elites rather than addressing the needs of ordinary Nigerians. “So, local government autonomy that now allows local government chairmen to be riding SUVs. Every local government chairman in my state now rides an SUV. When the Senator got it, there were saying that it was exorbitant, the court was exorbitant. Now, all the chairmen of local governments ride SUVs and do nothing. Is that what we get for restructuring? See, nothing gets done at the local government level. But now a local government can hire ten private assistants because they are autonomous. Nobody can tell them what to do. Is that the local government autonomy that is going to put food in the stomach of the poor, hungry masses?
According to Okurounmu, a chieftain of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, these imbalances have created conditions in which security challenges cannot be properly addressed. He cited the continued attacks by militant groups and bandits as evidence that existing structures are insufficient to protect citizens. “Even if we have state police and the Fulani militia continues to march, we shall still be constantly at war. There will be no peace. There will be no eternal peace,” he warned, highlighting the urgent need for structural and political reforms.
The Case for State Policing
State policing, Okurounmu said, represents a practical step toward addressing insecurity, especially in communities left vulnerable by inadequate federal intervention. “State policing is a good measure. We have been conversing for state policing for I don’t know how many years now. So, if we can have state police, that has always been our demand. It is to be welcomed. But it is not the final solution,” he said, emphasizing that local policing must be part of a broader security framework.
The elder statesman stressed that the implementation of state policing has historically been blocked by powerful political interests, leaving communities exposed to violent attacks. He also acknowledged the role of external actors in Nigeria’s security, citing American interventions against terrorist elements in Sokoto as a necessary, albeit temporary, support. “It got to the point where it’s almost America that is forcing us. If you have a little bit of a change of mind to say maybe… because America came and they killed some terrorists in Sokoto. And some people almost raised cries about sovereignty. But we cannot use our sovereignty to defend ourselves,” he said.
Fulani Influence and Governance Challenges
A central theme of Okurounmu’s review was the disproportionate influence of Fulani elites in Nigerian politics, which he described as a structural problem contributing to insecurity. “When a section of a country declares that the whole country has been destined to be theirs, and all its leaders from generation to generation keep saying that the whole country has been destined to be their own, they want to spread their religion over that whole country, and even bring in their ethnic fellows from outside Nigeria… Fulani’s can take over Nigeria. And you think we should just close our eyes?” he said.
He argued that this structural dominance undermines national cohesion, as sections of the country perceive the political system as biased and unresponsive. For Okurounmu, this situation not only threatens governance but also complicates efforts to implement effective security measures at the federal and state levels.
Historical Context and Structural Reform
Okurounmu emphasized that Nigeria’s governance challenges have deep historical roots, stemming from the amalgamation of diverse territories by the British in 1914. “The British gave us one country for their own convenience. Must we then take that as God giving? Can’t we use our own senses, our own intelligence to see that we are incompatible?” he asked, urging policymakers to think outside conventional frameworks.
He also drew comparisons with other countries that have successfully restructured or dissolved into autonomous units, citing the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Ireland, and India as examples. “Did the Soviet Union not break up? Did Czechoslovakia not break up? Was it not better off for doing it? Did India not break up into India and Pakistan? Both of them profited from it. If breaking up would be profitable to all of us, why can’t we break up?”
Democracy Without Functionality
According to Okurounmu, Nigeria’s democratic structures have existed in form but not in substance. While the country has maintained civilian governance since 1999, he said, elections and institutions are largely manipulated to favor incumbents. “Every election has been rigged so that the man in power gets whom he wants to win. INEC is controlled by the ruling government… The judiciary is not independent. The executive is not independent. The legislators are not independent,” he said, highlighting systemic weaknesses that prevent genuine democracy.
He also criticized the monetization of political participation, pointing to vote-buying as a symptom of widespread poverty and structural failure. “Politicians go around to buy people. Whole human beings should be bought so that they can vote. When all Nigerians are purchasable, then we are a nation of slaves,” he said.
Beyond Security: Governance and Development
While insecurity dominates the current discourse, Okurounmu who also served as a Commissioner of the Ogun State Ministry of Works. stressed that solutions must extend beyond policing.
Good governance, equitable distribution of resources, and infrastructural development, he argued, are critical to stabilizing the country.
“If the president has a program that ensures 24-7 electricity, good education, health services, roads, and produces goods that compete in the world market, then people would care less about where the president comes from,” he said, linking service delivery directly to national cohesion.
Okurounmu maintained that state policing, while necessary, is only a part of a larger framework required to stabilize Nigeria. True security, he emphasized, is inseparable from effective governance, equitable resource distribution, and systemic reform. “We must think outside the box. We cannot continue to pretend that one system fits all. If we see that we are incompatible with certain groups, can’t we break up peacefully and remain peaceful neighbors?”
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