Nigeria’s greatness lies in unity – Akeredolu, Fayemi
Nigeria’s greatness lies in unity – Akeredolu, Fayemi
By Adekola Afolabi & Sade Adewale
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Ekiti state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has identified insecurity of lives and property which has metamorphosed into banditry, kidnapping, insurgency and terrorism as the greatest problem of the country now.
Fayemi spoke at the 8th Distinguished Guest Lecture and 5th Founder’s Day Lecture series of the University of Medical Sciences, UNIMED, Ondo City.
Fayemi who is also the Guest Lecturer at the event observed that despite the avalanche of potentials that make people refer to Nigeria as the land full of milk and honey with the biggest economy in Africa, the development of the country has remained stagnant by various forces.
He regretted that Nigeria despite being an agrarian country, has remained a monolithic economy dependent on one commodity for its foreign earnings thereby making half of the nation’s population live below poverty line.
On the issue of nationhood, Dr Fayemi said citizens do not have a single unified vision keeping them together in view of the divisive issues of religion and ethnicity.
While calling for a pragmatic approach to nation building with untainted patriotism, the Guest Lecturer suggested a thoughtful political process based on sound capacity, ideology of service, and commitment to national cohesion and development rather than corruption, blackmail and hate speeches.
To the Guest Lecturer, security must be localised to guarantee safety of lives and property across societal strata for the actualisation of every individual’s potentials.
On the state of the country’s economy, the Governor of Ekiti State, said hopes were not yet lost on Nigeria judging by the template of Ondo State for industrialisation at the Ondo-Linyin Industrial Hub, where several industrial activities relying on local raw materials are galvanising the economy into productive ventures.
Describing infrastructure as the enabler for the rejuvenation of a sustainable economy, Dr Fayemi said the Infrastructural deficit of the country can only become great opportunities if citizens resolve to pay for the use of some critical infrastructures like road, rail and airports
He used the occasions to call for a total overhaul of the nation’s curriculum to make way for functional education that will create for Nigerian youths competitive spaces within the global arena.
Governor Fayemi enjoined Nigerians to see themselves as one and equal citizens under the current democratic dispensation by shunning all forms of ethno- religious diversities.
In his remarks, the visitor of the university who is also the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, described the lecture as a food for thought which should challenge Nigerians into resolving to make the country greater and better.
Akeredolu who regretted the stigmatisation of Nigeria for several decades as a developing country, said it was high time to get the nation’s elites speak with one voice in support of the unity and prosperity of Nigeria.
“We must think of what unify us to make Nigeria a virile country. We cannot balkanise this country”, he said.