By Godwin Oghre
Sapele —Co-founder of Michael and Cecilia Ibru University Agbarha-Otor, Delta State, Dr Cecilia Ibru, has expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari on the national honour he recently bestowed on the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, among others.
Cecila Ibru
She, however, called on President Buhari to proceed to restructure the country as well.
She said: “The restructuring of the country is very paramount. It is as important, if not more, as bestowing the highest national honour in the land on the presumed winner of the freest and fairest election ever held in the country.
“The present day constitution is still bestriding on the constitution handed to us by the military. In order to address the lingering issues challenging and affecting the country today, there has to be restructuring.
“The country is overdue for restructuring. We cannot be in the midst of plenty yet lack the basic things of life. It is unfair and ungodly, particularly in the South-South, which deserves recognition and which should have a fair share of the national cake.
“Niger Deltans are not saying that we should have it all. At least, let our roads be tarred, let water flow here. Let our polluted rivers be remedied for us to fish again. Our rivers have been polluted through oil exploitation and exploration by oil producing companies in our region. It amounts to a national disaster for us to be abandoned.”
On the unveiling, presentation and launch of a book in honour of foremost Urhobo nationalist and professor of literary studies, G.G. Darah, recently at the Petroleum Training Institute, PTI, Effurun, she said “Darah is a colossal success in the use of poetry in the Niger Delta struggle for justice.
“The resources from the South-South region should be ploughed back into massive infrastructure development in the area and education of our children.
“Education is our dream, just as with what is happening in Nigeria today, it is a necessity for the youths to take their rightful place of ruling the world and they should be given a chance.”