All roads led to the University of Ibadan on Saturday where the 74th posthumous birthday of former governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi which coincided with the 6th Annual Senator Abiola Ajimobi Roundtable was held.
At the well-attended event, Vice President Kashim Shettima, a professor of African History, Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Ibadan, Isaac Olawale Albert, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, among other speakers called for an attitudinal change among Nigerians as the key to driving economic growth, social cohesion and environmental protection in the country.
They said the call became imperative in order to re-engineer Nigeria for sustainable development.
The stakeholders noted that the problems facing Nigeria are not new but require bold and decisive action to address, adding that attitudinal change will require the buy-in of all citizens and called for renewed commitment to nation-building.
The event which held at Senator Abiola Ajimobi Resource Centre, Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Ibadan held under the chairmanship of Vice President Kashim Shettima while Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and immediate past Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje was the special guest of honour.
While speaking, the vice president, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant (Legal and Compliance matters), Bashir Maidugu, urged Nigerians to take a more active role in improving the country’s social, economic, and environmental well-being.
He stressed that attitudinal change is a key component in transforming the country into a prosperous nation.
According to Shettima, attitudinal change is a crucial element of this effort, as it will require a fundamental shift in the way people think and act.
He, however, highlighted the need for citizens to take responsibility for their own actions and work together for “Nigeria’s future prosperity and sustainability.
“Nigerians must stop the blame game and work together to develop our nation. We must stop pointing fingers and realize that our success as a nation is dependent on each and every one of us. We must change our attitudes and start building a new Nigeria, where every citizen is committed to progress and development.”
He added that the government alone cannot transform Nigeria, and called on the private sector, civil society, and the international community to join in the effort, saying that a collective commitment to attitudinal change is the key to a brighter future for Nigeria.
In his keynote address, the power minister, Adebayo Adelabu noted that re-engineering, implies changing and improving the design of a product or system, adding that, “critically applied to Nigeria, re-engineering is changing and improving our society with the objective of achieving a better society as contained in parts of the Preambles to the Nigerian Constitution.
“Promoting the good government and welfare of all persons in our country on the principles of freedom, equality and justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the Unity of our people.
“Leadership and followership are the twin problem of Nigerian underdevelopment in the 21st Century. No nations can exist and truly carry out the cause of nationalism without leadership and followership. The two are so interwoven that hardly can you talk about one without the other.”
“It is likened to a thread and the needle which are both needed to function in tailoring a cloth without which no proper sewing can be made. In tailoring a nation, leadership and followership must be involved. For where there is bad leadership, the followership will be grossly contaminated and where there is a bad followership, the leaders will be turned sour.
“Both will lack the necessary inspiration, motivation and encouragement to drive the wheel of national progress and keep the nation on the right track. The 21st century Nigeria is on the threshold of backwardness due to bad leadership and followership.
While proffering recipe, Adelabu said: “We should note that our options are limited to unleashing the vast potential in this country through industrialization. Investing in industries and promoting local production will strengthen the economy. More focus should be on investment in Education.”
He described Ajimobi as his great benefactor who persuaded him to contest the governorship election in 2019.
Also in his lead paper presentation, the guest speaker, and the pioneer dean, Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Albert, stated that re-engineering a society for a sustainable development requires that individuals and groups drop their selfish goals for the higher goals of national survival.
Speaking on the theme: “Re-engineering Nigeria for Sustainable Development: Options, Cost and Prospects,” the don observed that what is needed for the building of sustainable peace and democracy in Nigeria, being a federal state, is a constitution that truly connects the people and that the Nigerian leaders will obey.
He appealed to Nigerians to be mindful of the criticism of the policies of President Bola Tinubu so as not to discourage him from reaching the full potentials of his vision.
According to him, the recent creation of some new ministries by the President, particularly the ministry of Marine and Blue Economy as well as that of Art, Culture and Creative Economy among others are indications that that the President saw several things that could take the country forward.
He said: “The President has created some new ministries and one of the most interesting of them is the Blue Economy. The Blue Economy in Nigeria is rich. With oil not properly exploited, divesting into the sea suggested to me that the man saw several things and we should allow him to come up with all that he is looking at that will take this country forward.
“Criticism of the President might prevent him from telling us all that he saw or that he is seeing and therefore, we should encourage him.
“And the next one also is the Ministry of creative industry. Anywhere I go in the world, people talk about Nollywood than any other thing.
“Now, if we have that type of reputation outside as a result of Nollywood, I was asking myself why is it that government cannot see it, invest in it and use it to the advantage of the country. And that we are just seeing”, he added.
Also in a goodwill message, the Vice Chancellor, UI, Prof Kayode Adebowale described the deceased as one of the most highly revered personalities Nigeria has produced.
He added that the former governor introduced some initiatives which helped to ensure the security of lives and property in the state during his tenure.
Adebowale said: “Today, we are here gathered again to honour posthumously one of the most highly revered personalities that this country has produced; an illustrious son of Ibadan, a former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the first two-term Governor of Oyo State who served from 2011-2019 and thereafter served as the Deputy National Chairman South of the All Progressive Congress (APC) – the Late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
“Everyone who knew Oyo State and especially Ibadan before his reign can attest to the high level of crime and insecurity in the state, such as armed robbery, including banks in front of University; the NURTW perennial crisis in the state, and all manners and forms of insecurity.
“The establishment and equipping of the ‘Operation Burst’ took care of the problems of insecurity in the state. With regards to the NURTW menace, some people went to prison and that brought about peace in the state throughout his eight-year tenure.”
Earlier in her address of welcome, wife of the late former governor, Chief (Mrs) Florence Ajimobi, said the roundtable further signposts the unflinching belief in the vision behind the budding collaboration, mainly succinctly put as the pursuit of the ideals of good governance and the accelerated development for the Nigerian state.
The event attracted dignitaries from different walks of life, which included Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde, represented by his deputy, Bayo Lawal; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, captains of industries, All Progressives Congress, APC chieftains, among others.
Some of the notable personalities at the event included Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu; Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Dr. Zacheus Adedeji; former Minister for Trade, Mrs. Onikepo Akande; former Minister for Finance, Kemi Adeosun; and the deceased’s wife, Florence Ajimobi.
Others were the senator representing Oyo North, Dr. Abdulfatai Buhari; Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Saliu Adelabu; Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale; former Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Professor Adeolu Akande; former APC Chairman, Chief Akin Oke; Professor Tunji Olaopa and Professor Tajudeen Akanji.
Also at the event were former Assistant Inspector General of Police Leye Oyebade, former ALGON Chairman Ayodeji Abass-Aleshinloye, friends, family members and associates of the former governor.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
