Residents of Chief Rotimi Williams Estate in Lagos State have urged the Federal Government to encourage the adoption of community-based solutions towards solving many of the challenges facing the country.This was the highlight of their submissions after a symposium, which was organised by the residents in commemoration of Nigeria’s Independence anniversary.They identified lack of fiscal federalism, official corruption and holding on to primordial sentiments in dealing with critical issues of national development as some of the major challenges preventing Nigeria from realising her potential.

The speakers were a retired banker, Chief Felix Olaluwoye, former Head of Marketing and Business Development of PZ Cussons Plc and CEO of Smartek Appliances Limited, Mr. Festus Ugwoke; an ICT expert and CEO of Orange Computers Limited, Mr. Nnamdi Okoro; a lawyer and human rights activist, Oyewale Freeman; Managing Director of Netchcoms, Mr. Peter Igbinedion and a politician and Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Olugbenga Agoye.Ugokwe, in his submission, regretted that Nigeria’s economy looked too gloomy with the negative statistics that show that the future if nothing is done to arrest the situation, is bleak.Olaluwoye advised Nigerian leaders to look back in history and see how political and economic leaders of the time handled socio-political and economic challenges.

Okoro said the loss of value had also contributed in no small dimension to the challenges Nigeria is currently facing.

Agoye, while blaming lack of participation in the political process on ignorance, accused the elite of stay aloof from politics just as he said they have no moral standing to accuse those who get into leadership positions when they stay away from the leadership recruitment process.

He listed preparation, participation and performance as key yardsticks to be measured to see whether there is the active involvement of the best of the society in the political process.

Chairman of the Estate, Pastor Seyi Adeyemi, said the purpose of using the Independence anniversary to put together the event was to ignite new interests in finding solutions to challenges in the immediate environments.