Former Chairman, Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, mni was at Nnamdi Azikiwe University recently to deliver the 11th Convocation Lecture.
Speaking during the lecture, he expressed joy that he was chosen to be the Lecturer for the lecture, being that the University is named after the great Zik. Dwelling on the topic:“Leadership and challenges of National Unity in Nigeria”, Mallam Ribadu said that Nigeria’s challenges were linked to the inadequacies that have contributed to compounding a number of our problems, causing divisions among the citizens.
More so, in the approach to solving societal problems, leadership should be geared towards social change. He added that, if a leader eschews corruption it will be difficult for those under him to indulge in such practice. Speaking on ethnic identity, Mallam Ribadu said that ethnic identities are inventions of our political elite, causing the denial of one’s entity.
Gearing towards endowment, he said that Nigeria is endowed with abundant natural resources and brilliant human capital, but there is looming widespread poverty due to misused resources and untapped potentials. The collapse of our institutions after many years of military, political and bureaucratic imprudence, suggested our unwillingness to live together.
He concluded by saying that Nigeria needs honest and modern leadership that would be a rallying point for citizens, tame consuming tides of corruption and evolve creative solutions to our myriad of problems.
In his opening remark, the chairman of the event, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala said that Nigeria’s quest for development is dependent on what happens in our tertiary institutions. Also, that, nothing evokes ideas than having those who are at the middle of the discourse coming from tertiary institutions.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph E. Ahaneku, FAS in his remark expressed joy at the visit of the Convocation Lecturer and all present. He stated that convocation is very necessary in tertiary institutions since that is the only way of saying that those who were acceptably admitted during the matriculation, have completed their programme and requirements in character and learning, and are due to be crowned during the convocation.
In his closing remarks, the Pro-Chancellor, AVM, Larry Koinyan applauded the effort of the University and everyone involved in the Convocation. He said the problem of Nigeria is not solely leadership, but also a followership problem. We should, he said, know that we are all created for a purpose and should make effort to achieve it. The Chairman of the occasion also commended everyone.
