Dial 811: Deft or Daft?

Published in 2022

Decentralization Is A Lifeline for the unity, security & development of all the 36 States, Federal Capital Territory & 774 Local Government Area Councils and the over 200 million Nigerians therein. This book comprehensively and dispassionately burrows into the concept of restructuring, and recommends the “legal, geographical, administrative, political & economic” devolution of powers from an overcentralized Federal Government to these eight hundred and eleven (811) constitutionally-recognized federating units at a speed that recognizes the dire need for emergency rescue of an ailing nation. The Foreword is written by iconic lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun, OFR, CFR, SAN while the brave lawyer-turned-Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, penned his words to endorse this healing book.

Praises for DIAL 811: DEFT OR DAFT?

The governance context of Nigeria in the early 1960s was replete of efficient management of the country’s multi-faceted social, religious, tribal, economic and political identities, all of which have regrettably faded and left sour tastes in our mouths over the past two decades of the 21^st century. The wobbling foundation of this ineptitude began showing cracks after the federalism-promoting 1963 constitution was discarded for a centralization-prone unitary system by the gallant men meant of the garrison who supplanted democratic authorities for decades. Dr. Tolu Ademujimi’s deep-seated inquiry into this constitutional anomaly, which has resulted in the colossal failure of government at all levels to redeem our dying nation from the throes of death in all ramifications, is a critical response to a chronic national problem. The young man has continued to demonstrate the quality of his education as well as character; the two subjects that his book published in 2013 and titled Education without Character, whose foreword I gladly wrote, focused on. I wittingly receive and recommend this crack-mending and decentralization-centered book to all Nigerians, whose closer State and Local governments have been exasperatingly reduced to ultra-weak appendages of an over-sized and farther Federal unit.

Chief Ifedayo Adedipe, SAN, Constitutional lawyer and Bashorun of Akure Kingdom, Ondo State

The ideological divide within the calls for restructuring has been wittingly filled by the objective, practicable and intellectual offer of this well-timed book. Its elucidating depth makes it a quintessential reference for a roundtable meeting of devolution agitators, secession campaigners, political practitioners and nation builders in the urgent process of objectively reviewing our current governance structure. Without a history of occupying any political office till date, Tolu continues to re-define the corridors of national patriotism and governance criticism through his awesome devotion to the use of superior arguments and overwhelming knowledge. I am particularly pleased by the legal basis that Tolu, a medical doctor, brings into the concept of decentralization in this book that swells his impeccable authorship profile. I support this restructuring work, which has not only significantly contributed to Nigeria’s contemporary evolution in public governance but passed the greater buck of doing the needful alteration of the status quo to those with political authority.

Remi Olatubora, Ph.D, SAN, former Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice, Ondo State

Nigeria is not functioning at any appreciable capacity level. That is an undisputed fact. Many have done nothing more than grumble about the unacceptable state of affairs. I have a mantra for the engagement of civil society in contributing to the progress of our country. It is “Say something; Do something!”. While Nigerians are just ‘saying something’, I am happy to see that Adetolu Ademujimi is also ‘Doing Something’. The intellectual consistency and patriotism that Tolu, a medical doctor-cum-writer offers the Nigerian Project is phenomenal. His latest book comprehensively examines the topical issue of restructuring with lucid thoughts. Different elements of Devolution of Powers and Federalism are cleverly captured. While recommending this healing book to the sick governance structure of Nigeria, I urge all who buy it to comprehensively study his novel recommendations of decentralization targeted at the current 36 States, Federal Capital Territory and 774 Local Government Areas. This is diametrically opposed to the six regional governance structures advocated by several other devolution proponents. In all, Tolu’s work brilliantly spells out the recognition by his generation of the urgent need to discard the illogical and “tried & failing” unitary system currently in use in today’s Nigeria.

Mr. Jimi Agbaje, Pharmacist, boardroom guru, Politician, 2015 and 2019 Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Lagos State