Chuks Okocha in AbujaA former governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has called for the devolution of power as a lasting solution to Nigeria’s governance challenges, arguing that excessive concentration of authority at the centre has contributed to many of the country’s persistent problems. According to him, governance works best when authority and resources are devolved to lower levels of government, allowing local leaders to address local challenges while the federal government focuses on national issues. “The Jethro Principle teaches that effective governance must be based on merit, competence and capacity. Power and responsibility should be moved closer to the people so that local problems can be solved locally,” he said. Leaders closest to the people should be empowered to solve the problems closest to the people,” he stated.