The proposed National Dialogue by President Goodluck Jonathan has been described as “too little too late” by the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) in Kwara State.
The group said that the confab should have come earlier than now, adding: “The conference should have preceded celebration of the amalgamation of Nigeria”.
At a press briefing in Ilorin, the state capital, chairman of Kwara ARG, Asiwaju Joe Olarogun, urged the present administration not to tinker with the outcome of the dialogue.
Olarogun, who was represented by the state Publicity Secretary of the group, Comrade Jaiyeola Omotosho said: “Perhaps, President Jonathan will now prefer to write his name in gold and make the national dialogue a befitting definition of his presidency and a centenary gift to Nigeria. He can only do this by making the outcome of the conference to reflect the true feelings and aspirations of the various nationalities that make the federal republic of Nigeria.
“Where other presidents have failed, he must endeavour to succeed”.
He added, “For us in Kwara State, the conference is designed to address almost two centuries of injustice that the Sokoto Caliphate imposed on us as a result of the dominion of the erstwhile territory of the Yorubas by the Fulanis through the Jihad of the 19th century. Yorubas of Kwara and Kogi States have missed several opportunities to be set free from the imposition”.
