State of the Nation: Oborevwori, Okunnu differ on National Conference

We need law-backed, periodic confab — Oborevwori
Yoruba Tennis Club marks centenary
Nigeria needs good governance, not confab — Okunnu
Describes proposal as waste of time, resources

By Clifford Ndujihe, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Elizabeth Williams & Faith Adeyefa

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and elder statesman, Femi Okunnu, on Tuesday expressed divergent views on the need for a national conference to address Nigeria’s socio-economic, ethno-religious, and developmental challenges.

The event took place at the main hall of the Yoruba Tennis Club, Lagos, where Governor Oborevwori delivered the club’s 100th anniversary lecture. He attended with local government chairmen, lawmakers, commissioners, and aides from Delta State.

Speaking on the theme, “Inclusive Governance and National Unity: Lessons from Delta State for a United Nigeria,” Oborevwori advocated the institutionalisation of a periodic, law-backed national conference to promote inclusive governance and national cohesion.

He argued that national dialogue should not be treated as an ad hoc response to crises but embedded as a structured and recurring feature of governance. According to him, such a conference should bring together federal and state actors, traditional rulers, private sector leaders, civil society groups, youth and women representatives, as well as marginalised communities.

The governor said the aim would go beyond discussions to include measurable outcomes such as assessing inclusivity in governance, auditing regional development, strengthening policy feedback, preventing conflicts, and building trust.

He proposed a conference to be held every 10 years, with clearly defined thematic focus areas, an independent secretariat to monitor implementation, and legislative backing to ensure resolutions translate into policy actions.

Oborevwori noted that past conferences failed largely due to the absence of legal backing, stressing that a structured framework would shift governance from a reactive to a proactive model.

However, Okunnu, a former Minister of Works and member of the 1979 Constitution Drafting Committee, dismissed the proposal, insisting that Nigeria’s challenge lies in governance, not the absence of conferences or constitutional reforms.

He argued that no country convenes national conferences periodically as suggested, describing the idea as unnecessary and a misuse of resources. According to him, nations such as the United States have thrived on long-standing constitutional frameworks, while the United Kingdom operates largely on established conventions.

Okunnu maintained that Nigeria already has a workable constitution and that what is required is effective leadership and good governance, not repeated national dialogues.

In response, Oborevwori clarified that his proposal was not about drafting a new constitution but about creating a legally backed platform for Nigerians to periodically discuss national issues and solutions.

Earlier, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, commended the Yoruba Tennis Club for organising the event and praised Oborevwori for delivering what he described as an incisive lecture.