The founder of the Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola on Thursday threw his weight behind the Patriots’ call for a new constitution.
This was just as the legal luminary took a swipe at the Federal Government over distribution of palliatives, describing it as an attempt to turn Nigerians into beggars and leading them to poverty.
Babalola, who made this known when the Prestige Sisters League came on a thank you visit to him at the ABUAD campus, however, said, that the nation does not have to go through any constitutional conference but the parliament should bring back the 1963 constitution and reenact it.
The Patriots led by the former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, had during their visit to President Tinubu, pleaded with him to as a matter of urgency, consider enactment of a new constitution.
Babalola said, “I read the publication of the Patriots visiting President Tinubu and I am in full agreement with them. We need a new constitution. But I do not agree that we should go through any constitutional conference.
“Recently, you are aware that President Bola Tinubu asked us to go back to old National Anthem; there was no conference for it before it was passed by the National Assembly and assented by the President. The 1963 constitution was the one made by all of us. By the same token, the parliament should bring back the 1963 and reenact it.”
Speaking on the recent protest across the country, Babalola said that those protesting against hunger, are doing so genuinely because everyone knows there is hunger in the country.
“Those who are complaining about hunger are doing so sincerely. They are hungry. A hungry man can go to any length to show his anger. We do not need anybody to tell us that there is hunger in the country. The protest was genuine and government should listen to them.
“The duty of government is the welfare of the people. The problem we have now is that people cannot move freely. They have abandoned the farms. People are being killed in their farms and everybody wants to stay where they are safe. It is because the government has failed in this regard that we have hunger.
“It is wrong for government to be sharing garri, beans and rice as palliatives. They are turning the people into beggars. The government that is giving the people rice and beans is leading us to poverty. The government is discouraging people from working, whereas, government must provide the people enabling environment for people to work and feed themselves.”
He however described the Prestige Sisters as prestigious, for multiplying a toke of N1000 he gave them 35 years ago into millions through cooperative society. “You have not failed yourselves; you have not failed your family. You are able to send your children to school. May God preserve them? I am very happy when you said you have trained your children in school.”
Led by their President, Mrs Adeboyejo B. O, the Prestige Sisters League described Babalola’s kind gesture to them over three and half decades ago as an intervention that transformed their lives.
“Thirty-five years ago, the Prestige Sisters League with forty members then, wrote a letter to you Daddy, Baba Aare Afe Babalola to be our Life Patron and you gladly accepted and hosted us in your residence.
“The unique and golden fatherly advice prayed for us and then gave us One thousand [N1,000] naira. He told us we should not share the money, that we should use the money to start a Cooperative Society, and that was the beginning of the success, elevation, unity and love in the Prestige Sisters League! We are here today to share the success story.
“We are proud to tell you sir, that from the Cooperative Society, those that are into business were able to obtain loan to become successful in their businesses
“Many were able to take loans to further their education and excel to great positions like Medical Doctors, Principals, Proprietors, and many more. Many were able to retire as school principal, chief accountant and directors.”
