20th June, 2011
Deputy Governor of Lagos state, Honourable Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, has called for an urgent review of the concept and practice of federal character principle in order to help in building a virile and strong nation.
Making this call in Lagos yesterday while receiving the Chairman of the Federal Character Commission and his team who paid a courtesy call on her in her Lagos office, she said that this call has become imperative in order to ensure that professionalism, skills and accomplishment are taken into consideration in the nation’s efforts to ensure the much needed balancing act in the bid to weld the nation together.
In the same breadth, she also reiterated the call for the institution of a special allocation for Lagos both as a former federal capital and as home to millions of Nigerians, adding that as a former federal capital, the city  has more burden occasioned by its sheer size and responsibility to cater for all.
She also reiterated a call for a special allocation for Lagos, as the former federal capital of the country while receiving Alhaji Moghammed Ari Gwaska,  Chairman Federal Character Commission and other members of the commission who were on a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Government.
Adefulire noted that the federal character principle as enshrined in the constitution supports equitable distribution of resources among all the ethnic groups in the country, and maintained that such fairness must also extend to Lagos as the former federal capital by way of special allocation and attention from the federal government.
Said she: “Lagos is home to more than eighteen million people; every ethnic group is represented in Lagos and as a former federal capital, this comes with additional responsibilities which the meagre resources coming from Abuja cannot accommodate’.
She noted that since only forty per cent of the population are willing to pay their taxes, â€the Federal Government must pay a special attention to Lagos if we are to meet up with the challenge of providing social amenities for our peopleâ€.
While acknowledging the role of the commission in ensuring fairness and justice, Mrs. Adefulire charged the commission to place merit above all other considerations and criteria when appointments are being made into government agencies and other public offices.
She said while political and religious affiliations have often been the criteria for selection, she advised that ordinary Nigerians with proven skills and integrity should be considered and encouraged to vie for public office while still maintaining the federal character principle adding, “the federal character cannot guarantee us unity. It cannot guarantee us progress. If you put a man of no accomplishment in life in a political office to manage the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, in what way can a man like that work for the progress of his country? We must re-think the system.â€In her own view, she said the commission should also give opportunity to Nigerians in the Diaspora who are competent in their own field to come home and add value to the governance of the nation.
Adefulire added further that the task of driving the Nigerian economy from the present comatose state to a vibrant one should not be left in the hands of a selected few, advising that all Nigerians should have the opportunity to contribute to the development of the country regardless of their tribe or tongue.
She enjoined members of the commission to continue to ensure the peaceful co-existence of Nigerians in every part of the country, noting that such can only be guaranteed when there is no domination of one ethnic group by the other.
Earlier in his own speech, the Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Alhaji  Gwaska, thanked the Lagos State Government for the manner it has integrated all ethnic groups resident in the state.
He pointed out that Lagos is a clear example of the principle of federal character, noting that the mature leadership in Lagos is the basis for the unity and peaceful co-existence of the people residing in the state.
The chairman also used the occasion to request the state government to provide the commission with a land or existing building for it to site its Lagos Office, saying that the commission is desirous of having a secretariat in every state of the federation for proper monitoring and evaluation of its policies.