A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has maintained that regional federalism remains the most reliable solution to the numerous challenges confronting Nigeria.
Speaking in Ikere Ekiti on Saturday evening after the 29th edition of the Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme and the sixth edition of the Wole Olanipekun Foundation Empowerment Programme, he lamented that some Nigerians were actively sabotaging the country and “waging war against it.”
He stressed that Nigeria needs humanists—people who genuinely love the nation and its citizens and are committed to addressing strife, crises, wickedness and selfishness.
The senior advocate, who founded both initiatives, said the programmes had consistently touched lives and built lasting legacies in Ikere Ekiti, across Ekiti State and in various parts of the country.
He encouraged privileged individuals to support those in need, saying, “Let those who have received God’s benevolence in society encourage the downtrodden; let the mighty lift up the lowly.”
He added, “Nigeria needs humanists. Humanists are thinkers; they are kind-hearted and thoughtful. Humanists will not wage war against their country. There are people—Nigerians—waging war against Nigeria, and we don’t want to label them. We are afraid of naming them, but we know them.
“My suggestion to the government is this: we should stop pretending as if we don’t know who those people working against the interest of the country are.
“You can’t do some of these things in America and get away with it. You can’t sabotage your country; you can’t work against its interests. You can’t be planting war against your country while living in that country. So why are we deceiving ourselves? Why are we pretending as if we don’t know those who are waging war against this country?
“So why are we not naming names? The way out is for the government to do the needful—to name the names. We don’t need any external intervention.”
Olanipekun, who noted that President Bola Tinubu inherited the current state of affairs, added, “I sympathise with him because he is the inheritor of what he did not plan. So he should not reap what he didn’t sow. The problems have been there. We should stop pretending as if we do not know the problems are there.”
He emphasised that the country must heal and redefine its path, reiterating that regional federalism remained the only workable option.
He said, “What can save Nigeria today is regional federalism. Through the regions, we can integrate properly. I’ve been saying this since Olusegun Obasanjo was president, when I was also NBA president.
“Let the regions come together. Let them form a strong alliance. Let residual powers reside in the regions, while powers traditionally meant for the centre are donated to the centre. That has been my song, and I will continue to advocate it.
“Let there be regions that will negotiate on behalf of their people. You have the South-East; they speak the same language. You have the South-South; they are similar. You have the North-Central, North-West, and North-East.
“But in doing that, any people in the North-Central who wish to align with, for instance, the South-West should be free to join their kith and kin.”
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, praised Olanipekun for his unwavering dedication to supporting young people and vulnerable groups through his yearly scholarship and empowerment programmes.
He said the former NBA president’s consistent investment in education and human capital development stands as a model of true leadership.
“For nearly three decades, Chief Olanipekun has invested millions of naira in advancing students, widows, the elderly and young entrepreneurs across Ekiti and beyond. Nigeria will record faster progress if more privileged citizens embrace philanthropy the way he has done,” Oyebanji said.
He encouraged beneficiaries to uphold hard work, gratitude and service to others.
The Chairman of the Board of the Wole Olanipekun Foundation, Feyi Ogoji, explained that the empowerment schemes were designed to help young people discover and develop their potential through annual grants and awards, noting that widows and the elderly had also benefited significantly.
For the 2025 edition, Ogoji said 255 students—from secondary school to university and the Nigerian Law School—received scholarships, while 250 beneficiaries got N75,000 each under the Youth Entrepreneurship Grant. Another 100 beneficiaries received N30,000 each under the Aged and Widows Grant, along with palliatives for 1,500 people.
Meanwhile, last week, the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State alleged that recent terror attacks across the country were being aided by saboteurs.
The party’s spokesman, Seye Oladejo, stated that enemies of the state, including saboteurs in high places and foreign instigators, believed they could influence the future of a sovereign nation of 230 million people but insisted their plans would not succeed.
