Opinion from a concerned citizen.
S. Dauda.
Some years ago, I visited one of the first-generation universities in Northern Nigeria and what I saw was surprising. The university campus was well landscaped with flowers and grasses, all major roads were well tarred, they built a very long and well roofed corridors connecting classrooms and hotels.
The university has its water plant and alternative power source and a dinner hall which is now converted to a store. The university has a well-equipped sport facilities and tall edifices as lecture theatres, labs, workshops, offices, the security operation in campus was a top-notch etc. I was told that in 60s-70s or early 80s, the school fee was almost free, and the school made provision for breakfast, lunch and dinner for students throughout the semester. After graduation or upon completing the compulsory NYSC, there are jobs with cars and houses waiting for graduates.
What went wrong now?
What did those who benefited from the school that was almost free do? Today, some universities look like glorified secondary, no facilities, most lecturers are either on contract or visiting etc with very poor remuneration. Those who benefited from this system didn’t fight for the system to be sustained. Our leadership recruitment is faulty, although some will argue that military intervention has also affected the university system. But from 1999 where we had uninterrupted democracy, what happened? Corruption became institutionalised even with the establishment of EFCC and ICPC etc, we are still battling with corruption.
The corruption has made it difficult for young graduates to secure jobs, those who are due for retirement continue to beat the system to stay put in the system. While their children who turned 30 years stay under their roofs jobless depending on them. Don’t invest for your children, rather invest in them.
Those who were saddled with the responsibility to plan and enforce implementation for the young generation to come has failed. Materialism, individualism and personal aggrandizement has eroded the system which makes it difficult for any prosperous and sustainable development to take place. Those who are supposed to sanitize the system are now patronizing education, healthcare, opening companies, launder our resources etc. overseas, while the majority of us wallow in dysfunctional systems and poverty.
What went wrong?
- Our leadership selection processes should be overhauled (INEC).
- Let the best of us lead us.
- Citizens should speak out or reject any policies that are anti people.
- As we are interested in politics, we should also be interested in democratic governance too.
- Those in leadership didn’t come from the sky, they are from our communities, those with questionable wealth should be exposed.
- The youth should saturate the civil space, engage leaders or policy makers and implementers in a non-combative debate to strengthen positive transformation.
- The youths should engage in politics from polling units to federal level and participate fully in all primary elections
- We need to strengthen rule of law at all levels of governance etc.
- Invest in young people, they future belong to them.
In conclusion, we can get it right if we take one step per day and consistently remind ourselves of the goal of our mission. The change you need begins with you
Opinion from a concerned citizen.
Sendi Dauda
Development and Peace building consultant
[email protected]
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