Despite the enormous challenges Nigerians are facing, the future has much to offer and prospects are vast, provided if all hands are on deck.
The Vice Chancellor, Ahman Pategi University, Patigi, Kwara State, Prof. Mahfouz A. Adedimeji made this submission, while delivering a Public Lecture titled: “Building Nigeria That Works For All: Prospects And Challenges” as part of the activities marking the just concluded Elective National Conference of The Companion, an association of Muslim men in Business and the Professions in Lagos.
Adedimeji, a Professor of Applied English Linguistics noted that there are challenges in the course of making Nigeria great, “but the prospects are overwhelming if everyone is committed to playing his part”.
However, for Nigerians to keep hope alive, Prof. Adedimeji advised they must put in their bits in various corners so as “to make Nigeria greater”.
He declared that Nigeria is presently at a crossroad, but the way forward include, building strong institutions and strong men, affirming that the country can only work for all, if strong institutions replace “our weak institutions”.
In relation to this, the University don advocated for independent judiciary, vibrant press and competent private sector, as well as committed civil society to make Nigeria work for all.
Prof. Adedimeji called for provision of security and conflict management systems. He pointed out that inefficiency has threatened the country’s security architecture, calling on authorities to heal the present wounds before pains degenerate into violence.
Speaking on improving healthcare elivery, Adedimeji cited that not less than 5,600 Nigerian medical doctors migrated to the United Kingdom alone within a period of eight years, linking the brain drain to poor conditions of service that characterise medical practice in Nigeria which results in people dying needlessly.
Prof. Adedimeji called for quality education, confirming that this will make Nigerians raise generations of those who will learn to live together in peace and harmony with the capacity to fight the war on ignorance and poverty.
Another point addressed by the Conference Lecture guest speaker is hunger, poverty and unemployment. The academician asserted that with hunger, poverty and unemployment, security would be compromised and crime will ravage in the land.
While speaking on the need to combat ignorance and Illiteracy, the lecturer gave instance of September 2021, when the Federal Government disclosed that over 76 million Nigerian adults, representing 38 per cent of the estimated 200 million Nigerian population. Prof Adedimeji described ignorance as a misfortune; illiteracy as a disease which can only be cured with education.
The consequences of illiteracy according to Prof. Adedimeji include increase in unemployment, crime rate, substance and drug abuse, child marriage, diseases, frustration and low esteem all of which are inimical national development. He called for programmes that must be strengthened to enhance literacy rate in Nigeria.
He lamented that patriotism is missing in many Nigerians, including those who have been educated by the country without taking loans, indicating that it is not sufficient to go to school, but more important to be educated enough to know the right from the wrong and to always do the right thing always.
Prof. Adedimeji called for protection of democracy, expressing worries on military incursion in West Africa. To resolve this, he admonished that all hands must be on deck, warning that the militaries should not to be allowed to topple governments and return Nigeria to the dark periods of ruthlessness and lack of accountability that characterised military rule”.
He re-established that corruption is the bane of Nigeria’s under-development and until deliberate efforts are made to combat and defeat it, the country would continue to suffer for the shortcoming.
The guest Speaker stressed that moral recovery is essentially the forerunner of economic recovery and creates not crisis, but confidence and unity in every phase of life” asserting that citizens without moral scruples will undermine national development and betray the society.
As tools to attain a new and working nation, Prof. Adedimeji admonished on Five P’s for personal development and this includes: prayer; planning; practice of plan; patience and persistence.
In his welcome address, the re-elected National Amir’s of The Companion, Engr. Kamil Olalekan’ explained that the Conference theme is aimed at “creating workable road map for the new administrations at all levels of government to steer the ship of the country towards making Nigeria a nation that works for all citizens.
This, Amir stated is against the background that since independence, successive political actors in government appear to disconnect themselves from the vast majority of the citizens.
Given the abundance and variety of natural resources Nigeria is blessed with, as well as being ranked the largest economy in Africa, ranking 24 in the globe, Amir said it is expected that the country should have become an undisputed economic giant, competing moderately with developed economies like Brazil, Malaysia, Singapore and India.
Despite the identified advantages, the country, Amir said, regrettably remains “largely poor and unsafe with visibly frustrated, dissatisfied and disgruntled citizenry”.
He expressed serious concern and lamented that the raging massive exit, otherwise described as “japa” of young Nigerians and professionals in different fields from Nigeria to different western and other countries across the world.
The relocation rate of Nigerians was calculated to have jumped from 32 to 73 per cent in 2021. This worrisome trend Amir indicated is linked to bad leadership.
Engr. Olalekan also called on leaders to live a modest lifestyle and avoid provocative obscenity such as the recent approval of N40 billion to purchase 465 Sport Utility Vehicles for Senate and House of Representatives members at a time when not less than 54 per cent of the country’s youths are jobless while 133 million persons are poor by various standard.
Instead of the planned luxurious spending by NASS members, The Companion Amir urged Nigerian leaders to strive and pilot the country towards the path of national development in which it attains the capacity to provide the basic human needs for its citizens and create conditions for all individuals to reach their full potential in a safe and secured environment.
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The Public Lecture was presided over by the President, Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) and Deputy President General (South) Nigeria Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo.
It was also graced by the representative of SSG, Ekiti State, Dr Habibat Omolara Adubiaro; UNILAG Vice Chancellor, Prof. Folashade Tolulope Ogunsola; Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria NAHCON, Ustadh Dhikrullahi Hassan; Senator representing Ogun Central, Shuaib Afolabi Salis; The Companion former National Amirs, Bar. Musibau Oyefeso and Alhaji Thabit ‘Wale Sonaike, the organization’s District Amir and other leaders.
Meanwhile, new National Executive officers have been elected, announced and sworn-in by the organization’s Shurra Committee headed by the BoT Chairman and a former National Amir, Alhaji Waliyu Onibon. The new cabinet members being sworn-in by Prof. Nasir Abdul Salam are:
1 Engr. Kamil Olalekan – Amir (President)
2 Imam Nojeemdeen Jimoh – Naibul Amir (Vice President)
3 Secretary – General – Alhaji Abdulkadir Ibrahim Alabi
4 Assistant Secretary-General – Alhaji Abdul Kabir Lawal
5 Treasurer – Alhaji Tajudeen Saibu
6 Financial Secretary Alhaji Azeez Momoh
7 Public Affairs Secretary – Alhaji Muideen Adeleke
8 Internal Auditor – Alhaji Shamwill Ajibola
9 National Welfare Secretary – Alhaji Fatai Femi Muhammed
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