‘You can’t develop Nigeria from Abuja’ – Adamolekun tells Tinubu

By Kunle Sanni

Renowned public administration scholar, Professor Ladipo Adamolekun, has called on President Bola Tinubu to decentralize governance in Nigeria, insisting that true development cannot be achieved from the nation’s capital.

According to a report by The Cable on Friday, Adamolekun, speaking at the launch of his 37th book, Reflections on Governance and Development in Nigeria, in Akure, Ondo State, criticized the concentration of power and resources in Abuja, describing it as a major obstacle to meaningful national progress.

“You cannot develop Nigeria from Abuja. Does that make sense to anybody? It is clear,” Adamolekun said. “Your Ministry of Regional Development—where is it? Abuja! Your development commissions—where are they run from? Abuja!”

He argued that the establishment of a federal ministry of regional development and regional development commissions contradicted the very idea of localized progress and called for a shift in governance that would give more autonomy and resources to regional governments.

Adamolekun proposed a 35:65 power and resource-sharing formula between the federal and subnational governments, suggesting that this would reduce national tension and drive real development.

Citing President Tinubu’s swift decision to change the national anthem, the professor urged him to apply the same political will toward restructuring.

“If it is not already too late, I would strongly advise the president to use the same method to ensure the reallocation of functions and resources between the central and subnational governments,” he said.

The former World Bank consultant emphasized that a stronger, decentralized federal system is the only sustainable path to peace and socio-economic advancement in Nigeria.