The third distinguished lecture of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti(ABUAD) has come and gone but the unqauntificable gains of the occasion will linger for a long time to come.
It was a Friday, a day that paints the picture of moral decadence in leadership and a day that restored hope in the Nigerian project. It was indeed a day that showed ABUAD as a classic in the making and can enterprises that will re-shape the destiny of Nigeria for good.
It is a fact that Nigeria at 52 year of her existence is like a toddler afflicted with many illness such as widespread poverty, lack of qualitative and affordable healthcare, lack of drinkable water, insecurity, dilapidated roads, inadequate housing and incessant power outage. There are some other issues like the national question such as citizenship, the constitution, system of government, fiscal policy, state and local government creations which are yet to be settled. At independence, Nigeria’s northern, Eastern and Western Regions were economically stable and had effective and efficient civil service. The North then leveraged on groundnut, the East on its palm oil while the West held sway on Cocoa.
The economy today is like a car with bad tyres, it could not increase its speed for the fear of crashing hence the speed was lowered to create a superficial stability, inflation is uncontrollable, attempts to introduce higher currency denomination because hot debates, oil prices went up, the national purse became fattened, yet, people are starving, factories were shut down and crippled by many man made problems. Nigerians were divided into two: those in government with daily opulence and greed and those outside the government without anything to eat. Those in this category being systematically underdeveloped and improverished. Today, Nigeria is a sad case of squandered opportunities in the midst of plenty.
The distinguished lecture which attracted a high turn out of dignitaries and students took place at the ultra modern 5000 seater Multi-Purpose hall. Titled, “Leadership Challenges and the destiny of Nigeria” the lecture was delivered by an erudite scholar, a former Nigerian Ambassedor to Canada and Mexico, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of ABUAD, Amb (Prof) Iyorwuese Hagher, OON.
In his introductory protocol, he commended the Founder for his gift to the academic world and enthused that all people of goodwill must celebrate Aare Babalola for his courage, vision and conviction. He congratulated him for the doctorate degree (Doctor of letters) Honoris causa recently bestowed on him by the Kogi State University, Anyigba.
He kicked off with the most pressing challenge facing the nation which he identified as lack of purposeful leadership. According to him, we have not been fortunate to have leaders that can rise above self. Instead, he pointed to vain preachments and sloganeering as common occurrences in the land.
Prof Iyonwuese higher told the audience that Nigeria is in dire need of servant-leaders that will lead by example and not precepts. He also talked about the endemic corruption in the land which hinders things from working and which had been elevated to statecraft. He frowned at the overt corruption at all levels of goverments in the country adding that political leaders dip their hands in the treasury without battling an eyelid.
The Guest Lecturer identified general insecurity as another challenge currently facing the nation. He explained that, while militants Boko Haram sect is terrorizing the entire North especially the North-East axis, armed robbery and kidnapping are ravaging the entire South especially the south East and south-south geo-political zones. He said, if unabated, the country will slide fast into the stone-age.
Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher expressed concern at the lack of genuine leadership to tame the only panacea to redeem the nation from anrchy and chaos, thereby align her on the path of development is true leadership. The pro-chancellor therefore defined good leadership as incorruptible, courageous, public spirited, enlightened and dynamic. He opined that a good leader must have followers, he must have the ability to motivate the followers to a new way of thinking, he must have a destination to which the followers are ready to follow him, he must be decisive and have the ability to hanole crisis. He must also be trusted by his followers.
On the destiny of Nigeria, Prof Iyorwuese believed that Nigeria is at crossroads and must quickly decide our destination. He sugeested the parliamentary democracy as practised by Canada as the best form of government for Nigeria; the leadership training found in the United States schools curricular which harbours a culture of innovation and our ability to learn the tolerance of diversity to deal with our brand of racism and ethinicity as veritable ways of bringing Nigeria out of its crossroads. The Lecturer, warned leaders to avert State failure. He explained that governments that fail, did so because they are unable to take advantage of the resources offered them by nature to develop their society whereas the elites consume resources that are available for the common good for their selfish interest. He reminded Nigerian leaders that conditions that made revolutions possible in the Middle East also exist here in quantum. It is his belief that Nigeria’s inability to provide public services and loss of monopoly on the legitimate use of force plus the endemic corruption and criminality are already a boarding pass and passport to failed state status.
He enthused that the political indicators that Nigerian is a failed state since the leadership cannot deal decisively with religious issues as well as protect the citizens from criminality stirs us in the face. In the same vain, Prof. Hagher declared that the economic indicators are growing unemployment, inequality in education, lack of jobs and economic status.
Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher identified what to be done to stop bad leadership. He said Nigeria need accomplished leaders who will deal with the world-view of our people that is not in tune with modernity and contemporary civilization; leaders who will not pay lip-service to the rule of law, an emotionally healthy leaders who pursue excellence in their callings; confident leaders who are comfortable to serve their limited terms in offices which they are elected and the cooperation of all citizens to bring together disparate skills to enhance the capacity of nation building.
While lauding leaders who desire to make a lasting impact and deliver on their promises, the Pro-Chancellor proposed a three prong agenda. These are education for all, a new bureaucracy and a single term for elected leaders.
Prof Iyorwuese Hagher ended his address by exprssimng optimism that all is not lost for the rebuilding of the Nigerian nation depite the nose-dive of virtually all the components of nationhood. He declared that the establishment of Afe babalola UniversityAdo-Ekiti is a good pointer that Nigeria will be great again. He called on all stakeholders in the ABUAD project to exercise their intellectual authority to speak truth to power and to challenge authority and hold it accountable to the people.
The Lecturer gave kudos to the Founder, Aare Afe Babalola who he described as Nigerian’s 21st century leadership icon, who founded ABUAD through the clarity of a living testimony of an impossibility made possible. He declared that, he is proud to be the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of ABUAD
Earlier, the Chairman and Special Guest of Honour His Royal Majesty, Alhaji(Dr) Ibrahim Sulu Gambari CFR in his opening speech at the lecture, has advised those in positions of leadership to use it judiciously, for the benefit of mankind. He reminded them that power belongs to Allah who gives only a little to whoever he pleases stressing that effective leadership is only a function of effective followership.
He descried greedy politicians who are only concerned about their future elections rather than the development of the future generations. The Emir who lauded. Aare Afe Babalola’s concept of effective leadership through the usage of his wealth for the provision of quality University education for future leaders berated some past leaders for not offering effective leadership.
Dr. Sulu Gambari admonished the staff of ABUAD to prepare their students not only for examinations but for future leadership roles.
The Emir, who was unavoidably absent was represented by the Chairman Governing Board of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin. Prof. Shehu Jimoh.
In his remarks, the Founder of ABUAD and Chief Host at the occasion, Aare Afe Babalola thanked the Lecturer, Ambassador (Prof) Iyorwuese Hagher for his rich delivery and the appropriateness of the topic at this critical period of our nations existence.
The vote of thanks was delivered by the Chairman Ceremonies Committee, Prof Esan Owolabi.