Elder statesman and former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has issued a fresh warning that Nigeria faces the threat of national breakup if it fails to embrace true federalism and reform its centralised system of governance.
Speaking at the 14th edition of the Chief Emeka Anyaoku Lecture Series on Good Governance held in Enugu on Tuesday, the 92-year-old diplomat stressed that only a new democratic constitution reflecting the country’s ethnic and regional diversity can prevent Nigeria from following the path of other failed multi-ethnic nations.
“Nigeria was more peaceful and progressed faster during the first six years after independence, when it operated under a genuine federal constitution,” Anyaoku noted. “Each of the four regions at the time had control over its development, social services, and security.”
He blamed the country’s current unitary system for poor governance and stunted national development, insisting that meaningful change must begin with constitutional restructuring. “Nations that failed to address diversity through federalism no longer exist. Nigeria must act before it’s too late,” he warned.
Themed “The Imperative of Good Governance: Nigeria in a Global Comparative Perspective”, the event drew several notable figures who echoed Anyaoku’s call for reform.
Chairing the occasion, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Maj. Gen. Ike Nwachukwu (retd.), criticised the country’s centralised governance structure, advocating for a return to regional autonomy. “True federalism allows governance to reach the people directly and enables regions to develop based on their strengths,” he said.
Nwachukwu also pushed for the establishment of state police and overhauling the education system to produce practical human capital. “Security and education reforms are critical for our nation’s progress,” he added.
In his keynote address, former UN Ambassador, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, backed the calls for systemic change. “We must devolve power meaningfully, restructure governance, and rethink how leaders are chosen,” he stated. “A new elite consensus is needed to reposition Nigeria.”
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, in his welcome remarks, highlighted the urgent need for transformative leadership. “Political promises mean nothing without delivery. We must place people at the heart of governance,” he said.
Organised by the Youth Affairs International Foundation, the lecture series reignited the national debate on restructuring, with participants overwhelmingly agreeing that only a return to true federalism can secure Nigeria’s unity and long-term development.
