The chairman of the Centenary Committee,
Professor Tekena Tamuno, has recommended that on the eve of the nation’s
next century, the name Nigeria should be changed to the ‘Commonwealth
of Nigeria’.
According to Prof. Tamuno, the change must take effect from the 1st of January 2014, when the country will be making the 100th anniversary following the amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates by the British in 1914.
The Emeritus Professor made this admonition at an annual lecture of the Nigeria Academy of Letters, which was organised to mark the nation’s centenary anniversary.
Delivering the lecture titled Nigeria’s First Century: Pluses and Minuses, Prof Tamuno claimed that the name change is “an essential requirement for sustainable success of a new Nigeria in the next century.”
Some academics at the lecture were, however, opposed to the recommendation, saying that Nigeria does not need a name change but a change in its people and leadership to tackle corruption which they all agreed is the nation’s number one enemy.
Prof. Tamuno further noted that by January 2014, it would no longer be business as usual for corrupt officials in the country as he proposed a People’s Tribunal to handle all charges known to be fraudulent since 1st October, 1960.
These recommendations drew several reactions from the audience.
The President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Professor Munzali Jibril, however said institutionalisation of the nation’s democracy is most important.
In accordance with the new philosophy of clean governance from 2014, many questioned the preparedness of the political and socio-economic systems for the next century in the nation’s life.
According to Prof. Tamuno, the change must take effect from the 1st of January 2014, when the country will be making the 100th anniversary following the amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates by the British in 1914.The Emeritus Professor made this admonition at an annual lecture of the Nigeria Academy of Letters, which was organised to mark the nation’s centenary anniversary.
Delivering the lecture titled Nigeria’s First Century: Pluses and Minuses, Prof Tamuno claimed that the name change is “an essential requirement for sustainable success of a new Nigeria in the next century.”
Some academics at the lecture were, however, opposed to the recommendation, saying that Nigeria does not need a name change but a change in its people and leadership to tackle corruption which they all agreed is the nation’s number one enemy.
Prof. Tamuno further noted that by January 2014, it would no longer be business as usual for corrupt officials in the country as he proposed a People’s Tribunal to handle all charges known to be fraudulent since 1st October, 1960.
These recommendations drew several reactions from the audience.
The President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Professor Munzali Jibril, however said institutionalisation of the nation’s democracy is most important.
In accordance with the new philosophy of clean governance from 2014, many questioned the preparedness of the political and socio-economic systems for the next century in the nation’s life.
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