The All Progressives Congress National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, asked politicians and notable leaders across the country to shun blame games over the nation’s challenges and rather face the serious task of nation-building.
Tinubu made the call while delivering the 25th convocation lecture of Lagos State University, Ojo. The convocation lecture is titled: “Global Trends: Nigeria’s Rightful Place in the World”.
The APC national leader, represented by Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, described Nigeria as a nation “endowed with features of greatness”, but has remained locked in a place.
Tinubu said the country remained an economy unjustly designed to export raw materials and import increasingly expensive finished products.
The presidential aspirant said the political class must truthfully acknowledge the lapses and must be bold to make corrections, rather than vilifying one another for the present challenges bedevilling the country.
He said: “Nigeria’s GDP per capita ranked as 17th in Africa and 131st in the world. According to the World Bank, we are the 7th most populous nation as of 2020. But, our economic ranking was not commensurate. One does not have to be a genius in mathematics to know the difference between 7 and 131.
“Our lack of sustained dynamic economic growth does not lend itself to social stability. Economic slowness and destitution place great pressure on people to migrate in search of opportunities. But too much migration too fast and too unimagined results in people competing and contending against one another on dwindling arable land, which undermines social harmony.
“We need a new, more convivial way. A way that will give us the right start at a fair chance for durable prosperity. A large urban population needs a strong manufacturing and industrial base. If not, we invite unemployment, crime, hunger, and poverty to become chronic and severe.
“We must better link formal education with the skills and expertise our business community seeks in modern times,” Tinubu was quoted as saying in a statement by Sanwo-Olu’s spokesman, Gboyega Akosile.
Tinubu told the LASU graduands that the occasion of their convocation presented an opportunity for them to play vital roles in changing their immediate communities, their states, and the nation for the better.
The former Lagos governor asked them not to underestimate the importance attached to their respective roles, stressing that the conferment of degrees in various disciplines had placed them at the forefront of an enlightened march that demanded their passion, knowledge, talent and energy.
To deepen the culture of civic engagement among young people, Tinubu donated N1 billion endowment fund to establish the Centre for Leadership Development in the university. The Centre is to groom aspiring leaders and train human capital for leadership positions.
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