Since independence Nigeria had lacked good leaders – Don

 Lagos – Professor of Philosophy, Moses Makinde, on
Thursday urged the Federal Government to critically
re-examine the activities of past administrations in
Nigeria, to achieve positive changes and growth.
Makinde, from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-
Ife, made the observation at a lecture to mark the
17th Convocation and Investiture of New Fellows of
the Nigerian Academy of Letters, at the University of
Lagos.
The theme of the lecture is: The Humanities and
Societal Change.
He said that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led
government must strive to correct the ‘wrongs’ that
successive administrations had left behind, adding
that these wrongs were affecting national
development.
“One way of bringing about the desired change that
would soothe the pains of the masses, and pave way
for the much desired growth and national
transformation from successive administration, is to
carry out thorough re-examination of functions.
“The ordinary men and women on the street have
not been spared of bad leadership that have resulted
to abject poverty, hunger, unemployment and
corruption.
“It is in this light that I recommend that the new
government of President Muhammadu Buhari and
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo must see their era as a time for
atonement, deliverance, restitution and change,” he
said.
The don said that change for real growth in the
Nigerian state was possible under the current
political dispensation, if all the necessary indicators
were re-examined and re-engineered.
He said that since independence, Nigeria had lacked
good leaders who were neither worth following nor
courting.
The professor said that the situation was not helped
by the followers, who were incurably docile and had
been noticed as suffering and smiling.
Makinde urged the government to also look into the
issue of ethnic and religious discrimination, which
had stood in the way of the country’s development
and growth.
He said that the realisation and acceptance of this
diversity would propel the country for economic and
other sectors growth.
The don said, however, said that Nigeria’s challenges
could also be surmounted through attitudinal change
of the masses, and collective efforts from all
stakeholders.
He said that scholars in the humanities had always
been involved in the affairs of humans, with regard
to their association with other humans and their
thoughts, character, economic moral and political
behaviours, as they affect the society.
“Even men and women in science and technology
look up to people in the humanities for important
services of dealing with social, cultural and moral
problems in the society.
“Therefore, scholars in the humanities, as opposed to
science, are concerned with the above aspects of
man, for the improvement of the society; and so,
should be involved in other facets of life
endeavours,” he said.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of
Lagos, Prof. Rahamon Bello, said that the lecture was
timely, as it was coming at a period when Nigerians
were yearning for positive change.
Bello said that even though attention was focused at
technology as a major driver of the economy, it could
not go solo, as it required the contributions of other
areas of humanities to make it happen.
“Again, it is important that we appreciate history in
our curriculum because if you do not know where
you are coming from, you cannot know where you
are going to,” he said.
The high point of the event was the admission of a
total of three new Fellows into the Nigerian Academy
of Letters (NAL), and notable among them was Mr
Sam Omatseye.
Omatseye is the current Chairman, Editorial Board of
The Nation Newspapers.
Responding on behalf of the new Fellows, Prof. Jacob
Olupona said that they were humbled by the award,
adding that the lecture and the event came at a point
when the nation was striving to restore its dignity
among comity of nations.
He said that there was no doubt that the country was
faced with some challenges, saying that as fellows,
they would put years together to proffer solutions to
such challenges.
On his part, Omatseye told NAN that he was humbled
by the development.
He said that it was always encouraging to discover
that someone out there appreciated one’s effort, no
matter how little.