Executive Secretary Speech at the HLF Book Series 11 Launch

The Chairman of the occasion, our beloved elder statesman, Diplomat and Former Secretary for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Izoma Phillip Chukwuedo Asiodu, CFR, CON, HLR.   Your Excellency, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, Executive Governor of Borno State. Our worthy role model.   Your Excellency Engr. Abdullahi Audu Sule, Executive Governor of Nasarawa State.   Your Excellency Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, ably represented here by the Secretary of State to the Lagos State Government.   Our distinguished elder statesmen, Role Models and Great Nigerians who have worked tirelessly and have done Nigeria so proud and continue to give us hope for a better future.   Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies & Gentlemen, on behalf of our chairman board of trustees Emeritus Professor Umaru Shehu who unfortunately cannot be here today, we welcome you to the birth and public presentation of Hallmarks of Labour Book 11.   Years gone so quickly, when I remember that the first book in this series which focused on: <ol> <li>Professor Thomas Adeoye Lambo</li> <li>Honourable Justice Chukwudifu Akunne Oputa</li> <li>Mr. Allison Akene Ayida was published in 1999</li> </ol>   Since then many have followed and today, we celebrate book 11 a befitting tribute to hard work and resilience. Thanks be to God Almighty.   It has not been without challenges though particularly in our operating environment; however, the Foundation remains determined in its resolve that our country Nigeria is not a lost case, no no we are not!   We believe against all odds, that Nigeria boasts of men and women who can match their counterparts anywhere in the world and a look at our HLF roll call and book series is a testimony to the fact.   True, every country have their own share of men and women of note, who have made their marks and left their footprints on the sands of time. However, their achievements are not always adequately celebrated or chronicled. We at the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation believe that this should not be so; that there should be a Roll of Honour of great achievers who in their areas of specialization have done Nigeria proud, and have become veritable role models for our young and aspiring generations.   The Foundation will continue to project and document the achievements of these worthy patriots for the present and future generations. Copies of Hallmarks of Labour book series are there for you to see.   As a country Nigeria has so much to thank God for.   The 2023 elections have come and gone and a President elected. Despite all the negative speculations and pessimistic views, Nigeria stands tall. Before we went to the polls in February, Nigerians were worried and even scared. Christians, Moslems and Traditionalists prayed fervently for Divine intervention and that God’s Will be done; even as many had their different interpretations of God’s will.   <strong>None-the-less the Lord prevailed.</strong>   I remain a firm believer that Nigeria will continue to rise and take its rightful place among the comity of Nations and the signs abound. We are blessed with abundant Natural as well Human Resources. It is time for us all to support our leaders and help build the Nigeria of our dreams. We have no other country to call our own so we are duty-bound to make Nigeria a better place for us, our children, and our children’s children. The Hallmarks of Labour Foundation proudly presents Volume 11, which focuses on four distinguished gentlemen, Great Nigerians who unquestionably have served Nigeria selflessly with dignity and moral uprightness. They all have made valuable impact in their fields both in Nigeria and on the global stage. They are worthy patriots and outstanding role models for us all to emulate. Furthermore, the presentation of this publication re-enforces our belief that Nigeria is a reservoir of noble men and women, who by dint of hard-work and moral uprightness, can match and or surpass their counterparts anywhere in the world. Thus, if our society seems to be declining in morality, diligence and patriotism, it definitely emphasizes the urgent need for our youth and Nigerians in general to study and emulate the positive characteristics and achievements of these Great Nigerians for the benefit of this and future generations. To this end, the Foundation will continue to work hard towards achieving our aims and objectives: ❖ Identify Nigerians and people of the black race who have achieved success through hard-work, honesty and integrity in their fields of endeavour. ❖ Use the achievements of these role models to demonstrate to Nigerians that success through honest labour is rewarding and fulfilling. ❖Promote a positive attitude among Nigerians, especially the youths, and encourage them to reject fraud, dishonesty and greed as means to success. ❖ Help make Nigeria a decent society that attracts a pride of place in the comity of nations. Till date, the Foundation has identified and presented 90 Role models with impeccable credentials and exemplary achievements. It is our hope that our youths will emulate them for the benefit of a greater Nigeria. Ladies and Gentlemen, we proudly present to you: <ul> <li>HE, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari -- CFR, OCORT, HLR</li> <li>HE, Professor Akinwande Bolaji Akinyemi -- CFR, Fniia, Faps, Fssan, Faia, HLR</li> <li>HE, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu -- CON, FAEng, FAS, FNSE, FNSChE, HLR</li> <li>Professor Joseph Ogbonnaya Irukwu -- SAN, OON, NPOM, HLR,</li> </ul> I recommend this publication and others in the Hallmarks of Labourseries to everyone. You will find them inspiring. I welcome you all here again and wish you an enjoyable afternoon. I thank you all for coming.

Executive Secretary Speech at The HLF 25TH Anniversary

<strong>FROM THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY</strong> Twenty-Five Years – a Quarter of a Century – is a long time in the life of an NGO; what with the challenges of the operating environment. Particularly, we have no external funding either from the Government or any international agency. When the project Hallmarks of Labour began in 1996, followed by the birth of the Hallmarks of Labour Book Series in 1999, we were confident, then and even more so now, that Nigeria is a reservoir of people; men and women who -- against all odds -- have embraced hard-work, with lofty achievements and dignity that can match or excel their contemporaries elsewhere in the world. Our list of Award Winners [HLRs] is a testimony to this fact. In 2019, the Foundation celebrated its 23<sup>rd</sup> Anniversary and The Great Nigerian Awards. What a Re-Union it was for our Role Models! The event was memorable and well attended. Then came the Corona Virus [COVID-19] Pandemic that has ravaged the world for two years now. Indeed, the disease has constrained a great deal of our programmes and activities, but happily did not put the Foundation to sleep. In the midst of the challenges, the Foundation refurbished and equipped a library for an indigent public school in Anambra State -- Community Secondary School, Achina, Aguata Local Government Area. We are pleased to inform you that Foundation has named the library after one of Nigeria’s finest Scientists, Professor Uche Amazigo, <em>HLR</em> who hails from Achina. On a rather sad note, we regret to state that the Foundation lost a number of its eminent and active Role Models in the last two years: <ol> <li>Francesca Yetunde Emmanuel, CON, HLR -- First Female Federal Permanent Secretary in Nigeria.</li> <li>Professor Oladipo Olujumi Akinkugbe, CON, MD, NNOM, HLR -- Youngest Professor of Medicine ever appointed by an African University.</li> <li>His Excellency, Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson [Rtd.], HLR -- First Governor of Lagos State and 'Architect of Modern Lagos’.</li> <li>His Excellency, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, HLR -- ‘The Action Governor of Lagos State’.</li> <li>Professor Adetokunbo Oluwole Lucas, OFR, HLR -- A Leader in Global Medicine.</li> </ol> Though these Great Nigerians have passed on, they lived fulfilled lives that have impacted positively on society. They have certainly earned eternal rest in the bosom of Almighty God. Amen. We appreciate the resilience of the Board of Trustees, Management & Staff of the Foundation over the years. We also gratefully acknowledge the solid support of our Role Models, Corporate Partners and Sponsors in enabling the Foundation forge ahead. May Almighty God continue to use them as channels of blessings to human society. Welcome, once again, to our Anniversary Celebrations and Conferment of Role Model Awards. <strong>Chief Mrs. Patricia Dede Arawore</strong>

Executive Secretary Speech Commissioning of Egbokodo Ultra Modern Science Laboratory

<strong>PROTOCOL</strong> <em>The Chairman of this occasion, Professor Patrick Muoboghare; the Honourable Commissioner of Education in Delta State, the Special Guest of Honour, His Royal Majesty, Atuwatse II, the Olu of Warri; my lords spiritual and temporal; community leaders, the principal [Mr. Emmanuel Oleju], staff & students of Egbokodo Secondary School; distinguished ladies & gentlemen. </em> <strong>************</strong> I salute and bring you warm greetings from the Chairman & other Trustees of Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, on this auspicious commissioning and hand-over of an Ultra Modern Science Laboratory to Egbokodo Secondary School, Warri.  I am particularly gratified that this project is dedicated to the memory of my father -- Uwangue Bernard Edema Otuedon-Okome, a community welfarist with a very generous heart – who passed unto glory some four months ago at a super-ripe age of 103. It is my prayer that we will live long and as fulfilled as he did. Hallmarks of Labour Foundation was set up, in 1996, to: <ul> <li>Identify Nigerians who have achieved success through hard work, honesty and integrity in their fields of endeavour.</li> <li>Project these Great Nigerians as Role Models of rewarding and fulfilling honest labour.</li> <li>Promote positive attitudes among the youths in particular; encouraging them to reject fraud, greed and impropriety as means to success.</li> </ul> In 2008, the Foundation turned a search light on the youths,<strong> focusing</strong> largely on young talented Nigerians; to mentor and provide them platforms to achieve their full potentials.  In the process, the Young Achievers’ Awards was initiated in 2011to contribute to: <ul> <li>Improved standards of education, especially in science, technology and communication – through healthy competition among schools.</li> <li>Development of leadership skills in young Nigerians.</li> <li>Generation of a crop of young Role Models for their contemporaries.</li> </ul> With the central theme <em>“Positioning Tomorrow’s Leaders to Achieve their Maximum Potentials”</em>, the Foundation has donated a range of educational equipment and welfare facilities to deserving schools and students. Included here are: <ul> <li>Laboratory equipment and Desktop Computers to the best-performing institutions in the 2011 West African School Certificate Examinations [WASCE] -- Lumen Christi International High School, Uromi, Edo State and Air Force Comprehensive School, Agbani, Enugu State.</li> <li>A fully-equipped computer room to the best performing school in the 2012 WASCE -- Presentation National High School, Benin City. On the nomination by the award winners, the Foundation donated a functional bore-hole and desktop computers to a disadvantaged institution, Queen of Apostles Nursery & Primary School, Shinge-Lafia, Nassarawa State.</li> <li>The HLF Secondary School Scholarship Scheme, which took off here in Warri in 2008 under the tag <strong>“Iwere Educational Rejuvenation“</strong> has yielded tremendous fruits. To date, over eighty (80) students have obtained their West African School Certificates under the Foundation’s sponsorship, while forty (40) of its scholars are currently enrolled in a number of post-primary schools in Delta and Lagos States. We urge parents and guardians to encourage their wards to pick up the Foundation Scholarship forms which come out annually and work hard to pass the qualifying examination. The scholarship award is strictly on merit.</li> </ul> We are here today to commission and hand over this ultra-modern science laboratory, indeed one of the best in Nigeria, to Egbokodo Secondary School. It is our prayer that the students here will find inspiration from this facility to motivate them to become great scientists. We congratulate you, the Principal, staff, students of Egbokodo Secondary School as well as the Egbokodo community; and urge you to protect and utilize the facility well. We also express our profound gratitude to our partners, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited and Oilmen’s Invitational Golf Tournament Foundation for their continued support that has enabled the Foundation to fulfil its mandate. I thank your Majesty, Atuwatse II, the Olu of Warri, the Hon. Commissioner of Education, my Lord spiritual and temporal, our leaders of tomorrow, particularly, the students of Egbokodo Secondary School and all young people here present. It is for your sake that we have all gathered this morning. God bless you and thanks for coming!!!   <strong>PATRICIA OTUEDON-ARAWORE [Mrs.] </strong>        

Contribution by Chief Folake Solanke, SAN CON at The Re-Union and Symposium of The Hallmarks of Labour Foundation Fellows

<div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature" style="text-align: center;"><strong>CONTRIBUTION</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature" style="text-align: center;"><strong>by</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Chief Folake Solanke, SAN CON</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature" style="text-align: center;"><strong>AT THE RE-UNION AND SYMPOSIUM OF THE</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature" style="text-align: center;"><strong>HALLMARKS OF LABOUR FOUNDATION FELLOWS.</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature" style="text-align: center;"><strong>At the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Kofo Abayomi Street,</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Victorial Island, Lagos at <span class="aBn" tabindex="0" data-term="goog_1329663446"><span class="aQJ">10a.m.</span></span></strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"><strong>PROTOCOL</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">Please permit me to make a short statement “in limine” before my 10 minutes contribution. I owe a debt of gratitude to the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation for being the first institution to recognize honour and decorate me with its prestigious fellowship in the year 2004. I am profoundly grateful to the Foundation for their early recognition of me. Since then, by divine grace, there has been a floodgate of honours. Praise God. I am truly humbled. Consequently, I wish to assure the Foundation Board of Trustees, that, if I ask questions, it is just because it is the nature of my profession to ask questions! Nothing sinister!</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">I am delighted to be on the Symposium panel with Ambassador Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari for a very special reason. In 1995, as the Zonta International President, I sought an appointment with the then UN Secretary General, Boutros Boutros Ghali. I contacted Professor Gambari and he arranged it. I met with the Secretary General in New York, USA at the UN complex for about one hour. It was an insightful experience. Professor Gambari is a consummate Ambassador and an intellectual of distinction.</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">All that is protocol!</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">Now, to my 10 minutes contribution on: “The Challenges of the Youth in Nigeria: Where are the Role Models?” The topic flows from the main Theme of the celebration “id est”: “Restoring a Tolerant and Value–Driven Society in Nigeria”.</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">Indeed we should all be concerned about the wrong attitudes and orientation of some of our youth. Where are the role models? I answer categorically: they are here in this very hall. We are all present here. All of us are the role models, or should be, the role models. We do not have to go and search for role models anywhere because we represent them.</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">I will identify only four categories of role models because of time limitation:</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">Parents</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">School Teachers</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">University professors and lecturers</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">Politicians, e.g., legislators.</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"><strong>PARENTS:</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">Parents bring children to this trouble-infected world. Consequently, as parents, we must discharge our primary God-given role to bring up our children so that they can distinguish between what is good and what is bad. Parents must not abandon their parental duty to school teachers. By our own behavior, we should be good examples. For instance, children must not see parents surreptitiously bring into the home loads of “Ghana must go” bags full of filthy money of different currencies in the dead of night! And we should be watchful and ask questions if our children bring in expensive articles or a lot of money. We need to know the source of such items.</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"><strong>SCHOOL-TEACHERS</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">Teachers are “in loco parentis” to their pupils. They should build on the moral foundation which has been laid at home. Teachers must be true to their calling by making sure that they inculcate sound societal values in the children. Teachers betray their vocation by failing to train the children to abide by the very best behavorial principles and tested values, and by helping them to commit examination fraud. They must nurture their pupils to be academically sound and of good morality. Parents must support the teachers by attending Parents and Teachers Association in schools and not go to school to assault teachers because of complaints by their children.</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"><strong>UNIVERSITIES:</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">Universities professors and lecturers should continue to fortify the academic moral and intellectual infrastructure which has been established by the parents and teachers. University teachers must be on top of their discipline and the subjects they teach. They must NOT exploit or abuse students, especially female students through sexual harassment. Successful examination results should be the only requirement for obtaining their degrees. Further, universities should not devalue the 1st class degree by awarding numerous first class degrees not based on genuine and brilliant examination performance. There has been universal outrage about the 120 “cut-off-point” for university admission and 100 “cut-off-point” for polytechnic admission. The quality of the graduates of some of our universities is abysmal enough. Some graduates are unemployable. Oh ye gods! We must not descend lower but must aim at a higher educational standard for our students. Professors and lecturers must produce knowledgeable and employable graduates by challenging their students to strive to achieve the highest level of scholarship. Nothing cheap.</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"><strong>POLITICIANS:</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">Politicians rule the country. They must perform their crucial role of governance creditably and by so doing,  they will motivate children to aim high in order to contribute meaningfully to the society. They must not be attracted to politics by the mere love of obscene stolen money, but a determination to render qualitative service to the society. Some years ago, in Abuja, some pupils of a secondary school were taken to the House of Representatives to watch legislative proceedings. But what did they watch? -- mayhem, confusion, fisticuffs and missiles by way of chairs and tables, which were hurled through the air across that hallowed chamber! That fiasco was a horrendous example for the youth. I dare say that if the legislators were to have the correct attitude to their calling, some members, male and female, of our House of Representatives would not have converted their hallowed chamber into a pugilistic battlefield by engaging in “Kung Fu” or boxing or “gidigbo gidigbo e ya.” What the students were entertained with was a free-for-all gladiatorial combat and missile throwing by the so-called ‘honourable’ legislators. . .</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">So as I said, we are all the role models –- we are here: parents, teachers, professors, lecturers and politicians”. I am included. There are other categories, such as churches, mosques, the chiefs.</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">General Comment</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">In peroration, we must be aware of:</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">(a) What children watch on the Internet,</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">(b) Children spend too much time sitting in front of the computer screen. Parents should ensure that their get enough exercise outside, in the fresh air and read physical books.</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">(c) Children must regard the Internet as an additional educational facility, not a place to play games. The cut and paste mentality should not be relied upon to write papers! You are just copying other peoples’ input. Children must use their own brains and spend more time in creative thinking, not just staring into their cell phones sending endless text messages on Twitter, playing games, or receiving a relentless bombardment of information. True or false?</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">I take this opportunity to apologize to the youth on behalf of my generation for the corruption which our youth now observe, and which is consuming the country by the egregious misconduct of some of my generation. I tell the youth to embrace what is good and noble. Some youth are now engaging in hate speech. Those in authority must condemn hate speech in any form, be it political propaganda or, otherwise by anyone.</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">As parents, we should speak our indigenous languages at home so that our languages do not go into extinction. We have over 200 indigenous languages in Nigeria, we should celebrate this diversity and encourage all children to speak their Mother tongue. A good knowledge of the indigenous language is useful before learning English or any other language. Recently, history was restored to our school curriculum, this is a step in the right direction—if a child has no idea of the past, no idea of the Nigerian history--how do they know where they are going?</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">I have much more to say, but I pause, because the competent executive secretary, Patricia, has so instructed!</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">I thank you for your attention.</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature">Dated this ………………..day of ………………………2017.</div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"><strong>Chief ‘Folake Solanke  SAN, OON, CON</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"><strong>B.A., Dip.Ed., FNIALS, LL.D (h.c) HLF</strong></div> <div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature"><strong>D.Litt(h.c.), D.Lit.(h.c.), D. Litt.(h.c.)</strong></div>  

Re-Positioning Education In Nigeria for Peace and Development

<p class="western" align="center"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>HALLMARKS OF LABOUR RE-UNION</b></span></span></p> <p class="western" align="center"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>RE-POSITIONING EDUCATION IN NIGERIA FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT</b></span></span></p> <p class="western" align="center"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BY</b></span></span></p> <p class="western" align="center"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>CHIEF PHILIP C. ASIODU, CFR, CON, HLF</b></span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Your Excellencies</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Chiefs</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I feel much honoured to be asked to speak to you today on such an important subject: “Re-Positioning Education In Nigeria For Peace And Development”.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As we are all aware, formal education plays a critical role in the development of modern society. In primitive societies and cultures, there is little formal learning. As the child grows up, the entire environment and all activities are his school and all the adults are his instructors and by the time he/she grows up into an adult, he/she can play his or her role as required by tradition in a primitive economy involving only rudimentary farming, hunting, or fishing.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As societies develop and become more diversified so grows the need for formal education and specialized institutions to prepare the growing child to be able to perform adequately in his more complex world.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We do not have the time on this occasion to consider the very interesting historical and philosophical ideas about education with their interesting lessons for us. We shall confine ourselves to discussing today how education properly pursued with determination will enable us overcome the grave challenges facing us in the task of building a united, peaceful and prosperous nation from the diverse ethnic entities which for just over 100 years have been grouped together and have interacted with one another in one compact geographical area called Nigeria.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There is no doubt that Nigeria today is facing very challenging times. The headlines in the media have recently been dominated by reports about : Southern Kaduna killings of Christians; inflammatory speeches by a few clerics calling for Christian self-defence, one going as far as urging retaliatory killings; continuing outrageous attacks and ambushes by Boko Haram fighters in Maiduguri Province; frequent slaughters of farmers in their villages and despoiling and destruction of their farms by well-armed Fulani Herdsmen; attacks on oil installations by militants in the Niger Delta with its crippling consequences on oil exports, foreign exchange inflows and the Nigerian economy; the continuing restiveness of the Movement For The Actualization Of The Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB); the demand for the secession of Biafra from Nigeria by MASSOB and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB); the “Quit the North Order to Ibos by 1</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">st</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> October 2017” by some members of Arewa Youth Forum; the seemingly clumsy security and extra-judicial proceedings against MASSOB and IPOB; and cries of marginalization by various communities and more recently by country-wide strikes by University Teachers and Resident Doctors in the Hospitals.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">To compound the situation, the Nigerian economy is still in recession, the immediate cause being the drastic fall since July 2014 in the price of crude petroleum, our main export, but the real longer-term cause being the abandonment of Planning and disciplined implementation of Plans since 1975 and the failure to grow and diversify the economy for which good plans had been made and for which Nigeria is so richly endowed with natural resources and a sizeable internal market. Our performance over the last forty years has been in marked contrast to that of the Asian Tigers with whom we were at par in the mid-1970s but who are now far ahead of us in development and per capita income.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The things described above are symptoms of a far deeper and more extensive national crisis.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Threat of National Disintegration</b></span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It is not surprising to hear otherwise level headed people, given the current challenges, talk as if the breaking up of Nigeria into several parts would be a solution since to them Nigeria is too difficult to administer. </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>I have no doubt that the solution to our problem does not lie in disintegration</b></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">. It is not possible to divide Nigeria neatly into a given number of successor countries. A collapse of the Nigerian State will most likely result in an unpredictable number of mini states controlled by war lords. Imagine leaving Lagos and encountering a Customs Post in Ikorodu, then Ijebu Ode, then Ofuse, then Benin City, etc. or travelling Northwards, in Shagamu, then Ibadan, then Ilorin, then Minna and so forth. It will be horrendous to have Nigeria as a failed State. The fault will be that of the so-called elites to which we all belong. There will be no economic progress and civilization will be halted and life will be very insecure. We would find ourselves in a situation of general anarchy and violence. It is a prospect which should shock us to exploring solutions to our current problems. </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b> What the ordinary man desires is shelter, food, educational facilities to ensure his children’s advancement in life and of course adequate and improving availability of power, health and transportation infrastructure. He is really not interested in the power struggles among politicians.</b></span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Good patriotic visionary leadership and good governance which result in rapid economic and social progress and improving standard of living and quality of life for the great majority of the people are what will lead to national cohesion and stability. How remarkable the success of Malaysia in uniting the Malays and Chinese and smaller communities of Indians and others in a multi-religious, multi-ethnic state. Again, China with her 1.4 billion people unites many diverse ethnic and linguistic groups. We also have the Indian example as well as Indonesia which has thousands of islands in ocean space of just over 6 million sq.km.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In a recent article contributing to the debate on the current National Crisis, I spoke about the need for a Visionary Leader to play the </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Great Role</b></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> which has been waiting for years for a Player as follows :</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A Great Role Waiting For A Player</b></span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>There is a great role waiting for a player in Nigeria. There is need for a great patriotic and visionary leader to articulate a National Vision and Agenda of where Nigeria should be by 2040, to be at least a top middle income nation of over 300 million people and to quote from Vision 2010. “A united, industrious, caring, God-fearing democratic society committed to making the basic needs of life affordable for everyone and creating Africa’s leading economy”. He will need to lead a revolutionary change of attitude, beyond party, tribal and religious divides, amongst leaders of all sectors of government and society to embrace all aspects of good governance and re-launch Nigeria irreversibly on the path to unity and greatness. He must be ready to commit his life to this great cause</b></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I also said that the least traumatic way of saving Nigeria from the threatening disaster of a failed state and violent anarchy is for President Buhari as the elected President to get a group of capable patriotic people to elaborate a new “Vision and National Agenda 2040”, and to require all who love Nigeria to identify with him.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>National Vision And Agenda 2040</b></span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>It is critically important to elaborate a National Vision and Agenda 2040 now to enable the Leader mobilize the broad masses of the people to move forward to progress, unity and greatness</b></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">. The goal of Independence and sovereignty was a uniting anchor for the political parties and other interest groups before 1</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">st</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> October, 1960. Our national tragedy is that since then there has been no national consensus on objectives to pursue. Confusion in objectives, and discontinuities in policies and programmes have been the Nigerian experience of Government, resulting in the lack of progress in developing a one-nation consciousness and in developing the economy to lift our richly endowed country from poverty.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The essential elements in the National Vision 2040 will include :</span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">National Economic Perspective Plan 2020 – 2040;</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Adoption and Implementation of all the Aspects of Good Governance;</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Necessary Urgent Amendments to the 1999 Constitution;</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Universal Compulsory Good Quality Education for all Citizens up to the age of 18;</b></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Maintenance of Nigeria as a Secular State and Religious Freedom for the Individual;</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A Language Policy to Promote National Integration;</b></span></span></p> </li> <li> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Eradication of Corruption in all facets of National Life and Adoption of a Realistic Personal Incomes Policy;</span></span></p> </li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Determined and sustained retraining and re-motivation of the Civil Service and staff of all Agencies so that they may achieve a new image of competent, friendly, prompt, patriotic, non-corrupt, pro-investment, pro-development public service dedicated to prompt cost-effective service delivery.</span></span></li> </ul> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Universal Compulsory Good Quality Education For All Citizens Up To The Age Of 18</b></span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is absolutely necessary for the future progress of Nigeria, for international competitiveness and economic development, the welfare of all citizens and for national harmony and cohesiveness. The available funds must be re-allocated to guarantee good quality free education for all citizens of both sexes up to the end of SS3 or its technical equivalent. It should also be made much easier for any capable student to have tertiary education. Within 15 years of efficient implementation of this policy, the nation should have abolished illiteracy and there should be no idle unemployable youth available for recruitment into criminal and terror gangs which account for the country’s current poor image in international media. </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>More important, there will be no so-called “disadvantaged states” and therefore no need for the type of “Federal Character Affirmative Action” which prevents us from employing the best man for the job and which has impeded national development and growth, apart from breeding otherwise unnecessary inter-state and inter-tribal tensions</b></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am indebted to Prof. E. Ade Elebute for the succinct summary reproduced below of the challenges facing Education in Nigeria : </span></span></p> <p class="western">“<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Education Challenges</b></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There are over 10 million children of school age who are not in school, thus depriving the nation of the realization of their potentials and possible contribution to national development.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Current slant in our education system is in favour of arts and social sciences to the detriment of the sciences but rapid growth and development are driven by science and technology.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A poor presence of technical/technical skills education system which is critical to economic development.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Inadequate level of well-trained, committed and competent teachers/lecturers to teach at all</span></span><span style="color: #6d6e71;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">l</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">evels</span></span><span style="color: #6d6e71;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There is a gap in converting the results of research to viable commercial products.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Poor school environment particularly in basic schools. There are reported cases of pupils</span></span><span style="color: #6d6e71;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">l</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">earning under trees and schools with dilapidated walls. Besides teachers are poorly paid and unmotivated.</span></span></li> <li><span style="color: #6d6e71;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">T</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">he inactivity or non-existence as in the past of the inspectorate system headed by a director of education.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Because of the negative perception of teachers at the basic level many young people take up teaching as a last resort</span></span><span style="color: #6d6e71;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">, </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">without commitment or dedication.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Fall in the standard of quality of education. The situation is so bad that before some Nigerians can be accepted to post graduate programmes outside Nigeria, they are compelled to do remedial courses for one session.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Insufficient opportunity within the curriculum to teach emotional intelligence and build character as well as knowledge and skills acquisition”.</span></span></li> </ul> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION</b></span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The details in Annexes 1-3 on Youth Literacy clearly show the task before the nation in achieving our goal of abolishing illiteracy by 2040. We must aggressively address the problems of : Funding, Educational Buildings and Facilities, Reinvigorate Programmes of Training and Upgrading of Teachers to meet stipulated minimum qualification of 1</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">st</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> university degree and teaching qualification, Improvement in Remuneration and Status. With two years of planning and preparation, the new Programme can be launched in 2019.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Funding</b></span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Let us consider a few figures. Our population today is about 200 million. Children and youth between 5 and 19 years old account for just over 35% of our population. The Constitution promises them education as of right, education to prepare them for a decent productive life. By 2040, it is estimated that the population would be around 300 million. Ideally, the country should be providing now good adequate facilities for international standard education and skills acquisition for 40 million children and youth every year projected over the next 20 years to say 55 million. We must include the over 10 million children estimated to be outside proper schooling, and also integrate into the formal system those in Almajiri and Nomadic schools. Using normal ratios of teachers and instructors to students, we should be talking of 1.8 million to 2 million properly trained and motivated teachers / instructors. In today’s condition, an average salary per person of </span></span><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">N</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">840,000 per annum is not much. That would cost for 2 million, </span></span><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">N</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1.68 trillion per annum. We have not factored in yet capital cost of class rooms, laboratories, theatres, etc. So ideally, we should be considering the figure of </span></span><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">N</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">2 trillion a year for the whole country. What is the provision this year by all our Governments in the three tiers for education? Nigeria’s budgetary allocation to education 2010 – 2016 were : 2010 – </span></span><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">N</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">234.8 billion, 2011 - </span></span><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">N</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">306.36 billion, 2012 - </span></span><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">N</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">400.15 billion, 2013 - </span></span><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">N</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">426.53 billion. 2014 - </span></span><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">N</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">493 billion, 2015 - </span></span><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">N</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">392.2 billion, 2016 - </span></span><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">N</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">369.6 billion, 2017 – education budget is 7% of the total budget.</span></span> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We all recall the UNESCO recommendation of at least 25% of the total budget to be for education. This is most necessary for a developing country like Nigeria. However, you will all recall that even for an advanced country like the UK when Tony Blair as Prime Minister was asked about his priorities, he replied – “Education, Education, Education”.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There is therefore an urgent need for our Governments to re-order their priorities. Nigeria has enormous resources from our oil income. Better governance, less corruption, less bloating of public procurement - in some cases over 200% - more friendly and prompt processing of enquiries from intending investors will accelerate development and give us access to greater revenues. Meanwhile, there is great scope for reducing the cost of our government institutions, drastically reducing the perquisites and numbers of political office holders so as to change the allocations in our Budgets and enable the Government to spend what they should in order to guarantee every child access to good education.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There will not be uniformity but the state must guarantee to the poor child that he will be given the opportunity for good quality education which provides the route to upward mobility in society and a better life. This is not only a constitutional and moral imperative but is critically necessary for the rapid development of the nation and also for guaranteeing peace and security for all citizens.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In terms of private sector initiatives, as we are already doing, we have to increase our contributions to restoring our old “elite” schools to becoming again centres of excellence. Such schools, perhaps 50 or so in number but starting with say 7, should be empowered with special charters to become quasi-independent and be run by independently chosen Boards of Governors. There will be minority Government representation on such Boards. The schools may receive some subventions from the Government but the bulk of their revenues should be mobilized from private sources. In my old school, King’s College, Lagos, we have spent </span></span><span style="text-decoration: line-through;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">N</span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">1 billion. However, these are very small sums compared with the volume of funding which we need to mobilize over the next few years. The schools will as in the past throw open their doors to students from every part of the country and there should be funding for scholarships for capable students from poorer families – perhaps up to at least 25% of each class. The Federal Government may also upgrade six schools in each of the six zones to fulfil the intentions of the unity school, ensuring that they, like the old elite schools, are of the best international standards.</span></span></p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There will still be room for the very expensive private schools such as already exist but like in the past all schools must be subject to monitoring by re-organized and re-equipped competent Educational Inspectorates.</span></span> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am sure that private sector resources will be quite stretched playing the role assigned to them in the two categories of institutions which I have just described. </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Even then, it can only be a limited supporting role where trillions of naira will be required annually.</b></span></span></p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">There are many other areas in vocational education and in the tertiary institutions in which private sector, especially business corporate organizations should intervene. In partnership with the Governments, they should develop institutions and apprenticeship arrangements to enable the country develop the millions of technical skilled workers required if the Nigerian economy is to grow and develop rapidly and be numbered by 2040 amongst the largest 15 economies in the world. This is possible if the country is properly led.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Remuneration Of Teachers</b></span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The remuneration of teachers, especially as we insist on teachers having at least first degrees and teaching qualifications must be made comparable with the remunerations of people in the Public Service with equivalent qualifications; and remuneration in both sectors must be made comparable with remuneration in the private sector within a period of 5 years. In addition, housing and transportation facilities should be provided to enable teachers adequately supervise games, prep. hours, and extra-curricular activities of their students.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Educational Curricula</b></span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It is disgraceful the degradation of our educational standards over the last four decades. All of us here this morning owe our positions in life, the successes we have achieved, and the positive contributions we may have made in our working life to the very good education we received in our days in the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, but perhaps, most important in the secondary schools.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The secondary schools were few but of good international standard and we were able to go from our secondary schools with our Higher School Certificate or GCE Advanced Level straight to Oxford or Cambridge or other leading universities in Britain and the Commonwealth, to Ivy League Universities in America, and to other advanced countries and to perform competitively and creditably with the home students and students from other parts of the world.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Federal Ministry of Education working with the State Government Ministries of Education must immediately assemble our educational authorities and experts to review our school curricula to ensure that they meet good international standards. They must ensure : That appropriate attention is given to mathematics and the science subjects, and ICT, and in keeping with current developments in the world, that teaching with regard to the development of Emotional Intelligence (E. I) is introduced.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It is remarkable how countries like Singapore and South Korea with whom we were equal in 1970s score very high now amongst the Top 20 in the World Ranking of the Best Educational Systems. Their outstanding performance as regards economic development and the standard and quality of life of their citizens attests to this. The Reports and Recommendations of the Panels should be ready for implementation within 6 months.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Tertiary Education</b></span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here again in the latest ranking of World Universities, unlike what we would have scored in the early 1970s, the University of Ibadan which is No. 1 in Nigeria is only No. 1,032 in World Ranking and No. 9 in Africa.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We must work out urgently a programme to provide much higher levels of funding for our universities and insist that NUC monitors standards and de-lists universities which do not meet accepted minimum international standards of the good universities of Britain, the Older British Commonwealth Countries, USA, and Europe. The Funding will be for: </span></span> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Improvement of facilities and equipment;</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Research and transmission of useful research results to the economic sector;</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Better remuneration of staff;</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ensuring that all capable and qualified students receive tertiary education;</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Exchanges of faculty staff between selected local universities and leading international universities.</span></span></li> </ul> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Federal Government should agree on a programme to ensure that within 7 years, starting with these ten, the Universities of Ibadan, Lagos, Ife, Zaria, Nsukka, Benin, Ilorin, Jos, Maiduguri, and Port Harcourt, should be made to achieve good international standards and three of them should be numbered among the top 100 world universities. </span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Educational Programme described above should be fully articulated and ready for implementation within 6 months. The Federal Government should get the commitment of all the major political parties whether government parties or in opposition to the Programme as the solution to the National Emergency on Education and for the nation’s future, so that the determined and sustained implementation of the Programme will not be disrupted by any changes of Administrations.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Secondary and Tertiary Education should also remain in the Concurrent List to enable the Federal Government assist any State which requires it in order to reach agreed minimum national standards.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Need To Include The Language Policy To Promote National Integration As Part Of Our Educational Drive</b></span></span> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A Language Policy To Promote National Integration</b></span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I had hoped following up on the early successes of the National Youth Service Scheme that we would be able to persuade the Government to introduce a Language Policy to foster national integration. That was before the termination of the Gowon Administration by the Coup of July 1975.</span></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Such a policy would require each child to learn to read and write the local language where he or she begins schooling even in private schools. By the age of 10, the child begins to receive his instructions in English as is the practice now. The new policy would be that by the age of 12 or 13 when he or she enters a secondary school, he/she has to make a choice. If he is in the North, he must choose one Southern Language which he will be taught to speak, read and write. The chances are that the child will choose either Ibo or Yoruba. In the South, the child will likely choose Hausa as the Northern Language which he will be taught to speak, read and write. All secondary schools will have the necessary language departments.</span></span></p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The upshot of this policy will be that within 15 to 20 years, all educated Nigerians (like the Swiss today) will, apart from their local language and English, be able to communicate in one or more Nigerian languages</b></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">. With the ongoing inter-action and cultural exchanges and the pressures of globalization, you can imagine the situation among our children and grandchildren twenty years hence especially as they would have received similar good quality education. </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Ethnic differences will mean much less to them</b></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">. Such a policy should be initiated within the next two years after careful detailed consultations and preparation.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">For the avoidance of doubt, I must stress that English will still remain the official language of the Federal Government.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have no doubt that the current national debate on restructuring and the need for a new Constitution will continue for quite some time before agreement can be reached on what to do. However, a new Educational Policy to get our citizens equipped to develop and diversify our economy and improve the standard of living and quality of life of all the people in the context of the rapidly emerging technologies of the 21</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">st</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Century cannot wait. Compared with the Asian Tigers with whom we were at par in the middle 1970s, we are very far behind in per-capita income and over all development. Therefore, we must all do what we can to ensure that the nation adopts and begins to implement in earnest within two years the Modernized Educational Programme and the Language Programme which are so critical for accelerated development, national integration, and peace for our children, their children and future generations.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I thank you all for listening to me patiently.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>CHIEF PHILIP C. ASIODU, CFR, CON, HLF</b></span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>LAGOS</b></span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>SEPTEMBER 14, 2017</b></span></span> <p align="center"></p>

Retrospective and Prospective Interrogation of the Nigerian State and the Way Forward By Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari CFR, OCORT

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>RETROSPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE INTERROGATION</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>OF THE NIGERIAN STATE AND THE WAY FORWARD</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>BY</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>PROFESSOR IBRAHIM AGBOOLA GAMBARI CFR, OCORT</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER OF NIGERIA AND UNITED NATIONS UNDER-SECRETARY GENERAL, AND FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN SAVANNAH CENTRE FOR DIPLOMACY, DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT (SCDDD), ABUJA, NIGERIA.</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>HLF RE-UNION SYMPOSIUM</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong><strong>Protocols;</strong></strong><strong>I. INTRODUCTION</strong></li> </ul> <ol> <li><strong>Introduction; </strong>I feel greatly honoured to lead the discussion under the auspices of the HLF Re-union on such an important and timely subject: Retrospective and Prospective Interrogation of the Nigerian State and the way forward.In my view, self-introspection is normal in any nation. What has however, made our case quite important is the various secessionist agitations and civil strife that have held development down in some parts of the country. Hate and inciteful speeches attain new height by the day and unless something is done to stem this ugly situation, we might find one day that we have no country. In all my years of service at home and abroad it is obvious to me that what precipitates the fall of a nation begins with these internal wrangling and mindless provocations. And I believe the time has come for us to chart a way forward out of this and I am pleased to note that this assembly of noble men and women are prepared to find lasting solutions to our national malice.</li> <li>Ladies and gentlemen, you have asked me to interrogate the Nigerian nation both in retrospect and prospect. I will like to begin by saying that interrogation itself is healthy. There must be an entrenched system of how to continue to dialogue in finding ways and means of building a nation. But this time around, we must begin to talk to each other rather than talking at each other. I can tell you that my Centre, the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development has been working hard to provide a platform for such dialogue. <strong> II. NIGERIAN STATE IN RETROSPECT</strong></li> <li>In a paper I presented in Washington DC some years ago, which has turned out to be prescient, I talked about The Nigerian State and its Enemies…The inspiration for this came from the famous book by the Australian-British Philosopher, late Professor Karl Popper, titled The Open Society and Its Enemies. Ladies and Gentlemen, these enemies are the ones we have to reclaim Nigeria from for us to move forward as a nation. Who are they?</li> <li>The enemies of the Nigerian State are not necessarily individuals. I use the term to encompass those groups characterized by certain negative tendencies, phenomena and traits, which, taken together, constitute serious impediments to the growth, development, corporate existence and efficient functioning of the Nigerian State which serves the interest of the many rather than the few. In other words, they critically undermine the emergence of a strong, united, vibrant, prosperous and just nation. While the enemies of the Nigerian state, which are identified and discussed here, are by no means exhaustive, they constitute, in my view, severally and collectively, some of the most vicious agents at work to either tear Nigeria apart or at least blunt the full realization of the great potentials, which our nation possesses. It is for these reasons that I now proceed to discuss some of these “enemies” of the Nigerian state.</li> <li>Of all the vices, which have reared their ugly heads in enmity against the Nigerian state, it seems to me, that ethnicity or rather the wrong use of ethnicity, ranks as one of the most dangerous. In my view, no measure can blunt ethnic jingoism and advance the cause of national unity more than a determined, honest and manifestly fair effort to treat all Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic origin, equally before the law as well as the promotion of, and respect for, the human rights of all Nigerians. Writing two centuries ago, Uthman Dan Fodio, a great reformer and leader, had this message for us: “One of the swiftest ways of destroying a kingdom (or State) is to give preference to one particularly tribe over another, or to show favour to one group of people rather than another”. As Abraham Lincoln puts it succinctly, “a house divided against itself cannot stand. Justice and respect for the diversity of our nation are the prerequisites for a Republic that is at peace with itself and consolidates its unity and its democracy.</li> <li>Any meaningful analysis of the enemies of the Nigerian state is bound to identify national indiscipline and elite greed as factors at work against our society. Indiscipline manifests itself in a general unwillingness to abide by laws and regulations designed to achieve a smooth functioning of society as well as the failure to observe the minimum requirements of etiquette and ethics in official and unofficial interaction. It is said jokingly, but with some justification, that one of the distinguishing features of Nigerians is that we readily devise at least ten ways of circumventing every new law or regulation that is passed. National indiscipline prevents the orderly achievement of national goals as an inordinate amount of time is spent on trying to get people to display the minimum orderly behavior, without which civil society can only degenerate into an animal kingdom, with only the strongest surviving.</li> <li>Elite greed is a phenomenon, which manifests itself in the inordinate ambition to illegally amass wealth in breach of public trust, abuse of public office, bribery and corruption and the lack of a capacity to distinguish public from private wealth. Greed among the elite has tended to transform competition for public office into a “do or die” affair, in which the winner must take all. Public office is increasingly seen, not as a call to service and public trust, but as an opportunity to despoil the “Commonwealth”. The phenomenon of elite greed is, however, not confined to the public domain, as the elite in the private sector have also developed an insatiable taste to acquire wealth far in excess of their legitimate capacity. The Nigerian state is the worse for it, and the Nigerian people the worst hit, as scarce resources that should otherwise have been used for development are expropriated by a greedy few.</li> <li>The menace of Boko Haram, which represents one of the greatest threats to the Nigerian state and National security. This is because it represents the ill use of religion and uses sectarian violence to undermine the unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity of our country.<strong>III. ADDRESSING THE KEY CHALLENGES FACING THE NIGERIAN STATE</strong><strong>(a). Socio-Economic Inequalities</strong></li> <li>In bringing about change, building of a common citizenship and common commitment to Nigeria has been an important aspect of our nation-building exertions. But how can we have a common citizenship when the person in Ilorin has a radically different quality of life from the person in Yenagoa?  Or when the woman in Daura is more likely to die in childbirth than the woman in Ibadan? Through the development of the economy and equal opportunities for all, or through the development of social welfare safety nets, mature nations try to establish a base-line of social and economic rights which all members of the national community must enjoy. Not to enjoy these socio-economic rights means that the people involved are marginalized from national life. That is why in many West - European countries, contemporary nation-building in about preventing ‘social exclusion’ or the exclusion of significant segments of the population from enjoying basic social and economic rights. In Nigeria, however, not only are many of our citizens denied basic rights such as the right to education and health, there is also serious variation in the enjoyment of these rights across the country. As a consequence, the citizen is not motivated to support the state and society, because he or she does not feel that the society is adequately concerned about their welfare. Secondly, socio-economic inequalities across the country fuel fears and suspicions which keep our people divided.</li> <li>Let me draw your attention to some of these socio-economic inequalities. If we take the level of immunization of children against dangerous childhood diseases, we note that while the South-East has 44.6% immunization coverage, the North-West has 3.7% and North-East 3.6%. If you take the education of the girl-child as indicator, you see a similar pattern of inequality with the South-East having an enrolment rate of 85%, South-West 89%, South-South 75%, North-East 20%, and North-West 25%. Only 25% of pregnant women in the North-West use maternity clinics, while 85% of the women in the South-East do.3  It is not surprising that 39% more women die in child-birth in the North-East, compared to the South-West. Education and poverty levels are also important dimensions of inequalities across Nigeria.  If we take admissions into Nigerian universities in the academic year 2000/1, we see that the North-West had only 5% of the admissions, while the South-East had 39%. As for poverty, a onetime Governor of the Central Bank, Charles Soludo, recently pointed out that while 95% of the population of Jigawa State is classified as poor, only 20% of Bayelsa State is so classified.  While 85% of Kwara State is classified as poor, only 32% of Osun State is in the same boat.</li> <li>These inequalities pose two related challenges. Firstly, high levels of socio-economic inequalities mean that different Nigerians live different lives in different parts of the country. Your chances of surviving child-birth, of surviving childhood, of receiving education and skills, all vary across the country.  If different parts of Nigeria were separate countries, some parts will be middle income countries, while others will be poorer than the poorest countries in the world!  A common nationhood cannot be achieved while citizens are living such parallel lives. Inequalities are a threat to a common citizenship.  Secondly, even in those parts of the country that are relatively better off, the level of social provision and protection is still low by world standards. The 20% that are poor and unemployed in Bayelsa State are still excluded from common citizenship benefits.  We therefore need a Social Contract between the people on the one hand, and the state and nation on the other.  The state and nation must put meeting the needs of the disadvantaged as a key objective of public policy.  Such an approach can make possible a common experience of life by Nigerians living in different parts of the country and elicit their commitment to the nation.  Instead of resorting to the divisive politics of indigene against settler as a means of accessing resources, a generalized commitment to social citizenship will create a civic structure of rights that will unite people around shared rights and goals.</li> <li>Poverty and nation-building are strange bedfellows, whether the poor are 20% or 85% of the population. A largely marginalized citizenry, increasingly crippled by poverty and the lack of basic needs, can hardly be expected to play its proper role in the development of the nation.  Nations are built by healthy and skilled citizens. On grounds of both equity and efficiency, we need to promote the access of the bulk of the Nigerian population to basic education, health, and housing.  Nigeria needs a social contract with its citizens as a basis for demanding their loyalty and support. It is impossible to deliver equitable social services to Nigerians without plugging the leakages in the nation’s financial resources and fighting a merciless war against corruption. December 2015 report from Global Financial Integrity, “Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries: 2004-2013,” finds that developing and emerging economies lost US$7.8 trillion in illicit financial flows from 2004 through 2013, with illicit outflows increasing at an average rate of 6.5 percent per year—nearly twice as fast as global GDP. This study is GFI’s 2015 annual global update on illicit financial flows from developing economies, and it is the sixth annual update of GFI’s groundbreaking 2008 report, “Illicit Financial Flows from Developing Countries 2002-2006.” This is the first report to include estimates of illicit financial flows from developing countries in 2013—which the study pegs at US$1.1 trillion. NIGERIA RANKS 10th as indicated below. China leads the world over the 10-year period with US$1.39 trillion in illicit outflows, followed by Russia, Mexico, India, and Malaysia. China also had the largest illicit outflows of any country in 2013, amounting to a staggering US$258.64 billion in just that one year.<strong>(b). Building Strong National Institutions</strong></li> <li>Furthermore, the imperative of building strong National Institutions for our Democracy and Development cannot be over-emphasized. One of the greatest challenges of nation-building is that of lack of strong national institution building.  Whether nations are able to manage their political and social disputes peacefully, without lapsing into conflict, or sustain economic growth without creating huge inequalities, critically depend on the quality of the relevant national institutions. In this regard, there are three important components to institution building:  setting the rules; hiring persons with the technical expertise and moral competence to interpret the rules or implement the goals of the organizations; and ensuring that the institutions inspire public confidence by being accountable, transparent, fair and consistent. These are also the standards by which the performance of any organization, in particular, public sector organizations should be measured. This shows that the act of creating the organization itself is not as important as its proper functioning and overall effectiveness. In this regard, Nigeria needs to create or strengthen institutions that would help achieve the national goals of holistic security, democratic governance and sustainable socio-economic development.<strong>(c). Elections and Democracy in Nigeria</strong></li> <li>This presentation would be incomplete without a word or two on the past 2015 Elections and, in essence, the “rebirth” of democracy in our nation. Nigeria now has a new opportunity to deepen its democracy and deliver its dividends such as quality social services, including especially education and health, prosperity and security of life and property. Undoubtedly, the government is faced with very high expectations but these are accompanied by enormous goodwill within and outside Nigeria. One thing is clear however, change must not remain a slogan; the governments that have been elected on that platform must deliver on campaign promises and resist being highjacked or diverted by forces that do not believe in change and what change should bring to the masses of the people.</li> <li>The government can succeed by carrying everybody along through inclusive government. We must give that support while insisting on a permanent end to impunity and zero-tolerance for official corruption. Again, political parties in Nigeria must abandon “the current political normadism where the sole purpose is for acquisition of power in order to satisfy parochial interest of the political class (and not of the people). To attain this, it is important that parties are based on issues, group interests and ideology”.</li> <li>Whilst it is good to have successful elections, periodic elections in themselves, do not ensure good governance. Elections are not an end in themselves rather a process leading to the real business of governance. Elections 2015 in Nigeria and the emergency of President Muhammadu Buhari as the President Federal Republic of Nigeria represent a watershed with the potential to cross a threshold into a new era in global governance and human experience. Nigerians successfully went to the polls and achieved an uncommon feat even when there was palpable tension in the country.</li> <li>Nigerians want to see the intensification of the anti-corruption battle on all fronts with thorough investigations and convictions which serves as credible deterrence. They want to celebrate the decimation of the Boko Haram and an end to insurgency; they want to see an improved economy where there is job creation and wealth creation; they want to see a fiscal regime that firms up the naira against the other currencies through effective control of the oil economy and a well diversified economic culture; they want to see and live in a society where kidnapping is effectively checked; and above all, Nigerians want to see a restructured country where the peoples’ energies are efficiently tapped and run for over-all national wealth creation.</li> <li>The government must ensure that true change is delivered, as there is no value added to change without substance. There should be change in all facets of our existence as a country. I believe the notion of change and harnessing the multi-faceted expectations of many Nigerians regarding what it means, are the biggest challenges Governments at all levels now need to focus and how to address the burden of huge expectations from the populace. Think big but start small. The need to manage our collective expectations in the face of change is predicated on the fact that Nigeria needs to get back on track with the business of developing and improving the lives of her citizens. A task that requires more urgent attention now in the face of damning evidence of how badly the nation and its institutions have failed in delivering efficient public goods and services in the past 18 years of democracy. A look at the manifesto of different political parties reveals a shopping list of broad policy statements which require more clarity as to how the expectations of Nigerians will be met and managed in key public policy areas. Education, health, the economy, job creation and youth employment all have broad policy statements that should depart from same stories of previous administrations. Therefore, I call for strategic approach to meeting citizen expectations and where challenges exist appropriate explanations should be given.<strong>(d). Service Delivery</strong></li> <li>An unbundling of service delivery bottlenecks within the complex layers of our peculiar federal state will be key to successful change in all the sectors of our national life begging for change. This should inform a restructuring of the civil service in a way that aligns national priorities with specific agency mandates. Parallel and duplicating functions that abound in our current public service agencies and remain avenues for inefficiency of production must be tackled with the same zeal as corruption and insecurity. In reality, the changes desired by the Nigerian populace can only be delivered when services delivered within the public sector (both civil and public services) reflect a harmonisation of the yearnings and expectations of citizens from government at all levels. How effectively the new governing party achieves this marriage of expectations and bridges the gaps will determine its success as change agents.</li> <li>Putting service delivery at the heart of governance reflects an understanding that the perception of government/governance effectiveness is directly related to the experience of citizens when they access or are unable to access public goods and services. Unfortunately in Nigeria, this connection has in recent times been reduced to “stomach infrastructure” — made available only during electioneering seasons. This is where the real change must happen for governance to be meaningful, in spite of high sounding numbers about economic growth and perceived national prosperity that leaves the poor feeling poorer. Effective and efficient service delivery is the magic glue that closes the expectation gap between government and the governed. Therefore, if the APC-led government is to succeed in its change agenda, and thus actualize their defined objective of instituting a set of progressive social welfare programmes need to engender a more robust public accountability framework under which each layer of government can be held accountable for failure of service delivery. It is only by setting clear performance standards in policy implementation; standards derived from wide consultations with citizens as critical stakeholders, that the new administration will set a new bar for meeting citizen expectations which currently range from the most simple, to sometimes unrealistic demands<strong>IV. Concluding Remarks</strong></li> <li>It is to the credit of Nigerians that in the face of years of broken promises and dashed hopes, they have remained resilient, enduring the worst adversity where others might have buckled. Yet, as experience through history has shown, a resilient people cannot be taken for granted indefinitely lest they rise in revolutionary fervour and take matters into their own hands. It is one of the reasons why the change agenda of President Buhari cannot be allowed to go the way of previous promises of change. There are, of course, other cogent reasons why the change agenda of the government will deserve to be supported, not least among them the fact that the misrule, mismanagement, and wanton theft by high office holders almost nearly precipitated a situation of wholesale institutional collapse in the country. Also, on a scale and range not seen since the civil war, armed hostilities in the northeast of Nigeria and persistent low-intensity violence in the Niger Delta threatened the territorial integrity of the country.</li> <li>If the promise of change promised by President Buhari was credible enough before the generality of Nigerians as to contribute to the defeat of the erstwhile ruling party and propel him to power, it is in part because of his personal credentials as a person of personal integrity.</li> <li>However, it needs to be restated again and again, that the sustainability of an agenda of change, cannot, depend on one person and must involve a collective endeavour to open a new Chapter in national life that would represent both a clean break with the past and the opening of a new gateway into the future. We must act collectively so that we can take our country back from the enemies of the Nigerian state- the looters and destroyers of our national resources. To this end, a wholesale attitudinal change combined with new codes of leadership and followership need to be embraced across different segments of society. Institutions of governance, many of them playing dual but complementary roles in nation- and state-building, will need to be reinvigorated so as to serve as the bedrocks they were meant to be in the administration of public affairs. A new compact will need to be established between rulers and citizens that will serve as a basis for our collective audit of the performance of those to whom we entrust our national destiny.</li> <li>In the 18 years since the emergence of the Fourth Republic, Nigerians have strived to build their country into Africa's and one of the world's biggest democracies. However, there has been a deficit of delivery which, in popular parlance, is referred to as the absence of democratic dividends. In the pursuit of the contemporary agenda of change, close attention will need to be paid to the measures and steps that would need to be taken to overcome grinding poverty and want among Nigerians, narrow the growing inequality that is increasingly defining the national landscape, invest in the public provisioning of accessible and quality educational and health services, build an integrated social policy that feeds back into economic development, grow the national economy to generate jobs for a teeming population of young Nigerians, revive and expand the real sectors of the economy with particular attention to manufacturing and agriculture, and renew the national infrastructure across the board.</li> <li>Notwithstanding the challenges of our immediate past and our present exciting possibilities still exist. We must continue to build the enabling environment for the requisite transformation which we must undergo in order to entrench sustainable development and reposition Nigeria for competitiveness. The CHANGE mantra has awakened in the Nigerian a new consciousness of the imperative for a girding of the loins for the enormous challenges – economic, political, security, that confront us.</li> <li>What is key at this point is a clear definition of the content and the context of the CHANGE we seek. Equally critical is the identification and assignment of roles with respect to the respective agents of this CHANGE which we so sorely need for national rejuvenation. Perhaps most important, is the necessity for the requisite political will on the part of government to make the inevitable difficult choices and hard decisions in a structured, well thought-out, equitable and fair manner. Believing that if we can find the will to offer such a leadership, and support it by strong and dependable political and economic institutions, we will find a way to our national greatness and sustenance of Nigeria’s democracy.</li> <li>No doubt, where citizens are able to establish a link between democratic governance and improvements in their living conditions, they are able to renew their faith in the inclusivity and representativeness of that system of government. Where citizens feel included and come to understand that their voices count on an everyday basis, standards of governance are improved and the political culture benefits through improvements that ensue in the conduct of politicians. Inclusivity also contributes to the processes of nation and state-building which remain unfinished parts of the national agenda. It is within our grasp as a nation and a people to turn the corner. We must find the will to call a stop to all the factors that have hampered our progress to date. And we must set only the highest targets and most rigorous standards for ourselves as a mark of self-respect and in the firm understanding that in the end, the change that will matter will be the one that brings about transformation in all spheres of our national life.</li> <li><strong>I thank you for listening and happy Democracy Day.</strong></li> </ol>        

HLF Symposium Reunion Welcome Address

<h2 class="m_8296383959265041518s3" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span class="m_8296383959265041518s2">Welcome Address </span></strong></h2> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s3" style="text-align: center;"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s4"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Emeritus Professor </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s4"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Umaru</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s4"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s4"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Shehu</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s4"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">, </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s5"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">CON, CFR, HLR </span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s3" style="text-align: center;"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s5"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Chairman, Board of Trustees, </span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s3" style="text-align: center;"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s5"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Hallmarks of Labour Foundation </span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s6"><strong><span class="m_8296383959265041518s7"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">PROTOCOL</span></span></strong></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s9"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">On behalf of the Board of Trustees, management & staff of Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, I am delighted to welcome you to our Re-Union 2017. </span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s9"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">The Foundation considers this assembly among the best in our great country, Nigeria; and for good reasons. Over the years, you have demonstrated your mettle in various fields of endeavour – academia, governance & administration, the professions and disciplined services – through integrity, hard work and commitment to the socio-economic and political </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">upliftment</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> of your immediate and extended environments – locally and internationally. </span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s9"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Nigeria owes you a debt of gratitude and we are indeed proud to provide the forum to give honour to who it is due. </span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s6"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">One of the key elements of this Re-Union is a Symposium. The central theme is aptly tagged </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">“</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s10"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Restoring a Tolerant and Value-Driven Society in Nigeria”</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> because that is what you, our role models, exemplify and have consistently pursued.</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s11"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">The Symposium is therefore in line with one of the Foundation’s main objectives to:</span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s13"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s12"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">”</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s12"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Help make Nigeria a decent society that attracts a pride of place in the comity of nations through re-orientating our mind-set and awaken in us the spirit of Nationalism, Patriotism and Loyalty”.</span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s9"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">This is particularly so as our country goes through the throes of regeneration to sustainable growth and development. The topics for presentation and discussions are also </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">germaine</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> to issues of the day. </span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s9"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">The Foundation considers it fitting that virtually all the Symposium Resource Persons have been selected from our Roll Call of Role Models – The Chief Host, Chairman, </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Moderator</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">, Speakers, Discussants and author of the Keynote Address. </span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s9"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Permit us to remember our Role Models that have passed on: </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Professor </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Adeoye</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Lambo</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">; Hon. Justice </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Chukwudifu</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Oputa</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">; Hon. Justice Mohammed Bello; Pa. Michael </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Imoudu</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">;  </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Senator</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> Abraham </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Adesanya</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">; </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Alh<wbr />aja</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Abibat</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Mogaji</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">; Ambassador Matthew </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Tawo</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Mbu</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">; </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Alhaji</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Babat<wbr />unde</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> Jose; Professor </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Olikoye</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Ransome-Kuti</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"><wbr />; </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Chief Frederick </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Rotimi</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Alade</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> <wbr />Williams; </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Mr.</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Gamaliel</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Onosode</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"><wbr />; Professor </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Babatunde</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Fafunwa</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">; </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">H<wbr />on. Justice </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Kayode</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Eso</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">; Chief </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Dr.</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Molade</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Okoya</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">-Thomas; and Hon. Justice Andrews </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">Obaseki</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s15"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">. </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">May their souls rest in </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">peace.</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> Amen.</span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s9"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">We thank you for being part of the Foundation’s vision and we are grateful to our sponsors for their support in keeping the dream alive. </span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s9"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">We hope you all will find it worthwhile to be part of this Re-Union Symposium, which, judging from the calibre of speakers, </span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">is</span></span><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15"> bound to be very illuminating and impactful. It is indeed our collective duty to join hands and make Nigeria better.</span></span></p> <p class="m_8296383959265041518s9"><span class="m_8296383959265041518s8"><span class="m_8296383959265041518bumpedFont15">You are welcome.</span></span></p>

Discussant Response to “Re-Positioning Education in Nigeria for peace and Development” by CHIEF PHILIP C.ASIODU, CFR, CON, HLF

<div id="m_-5815915173448799552AppleMailSignature" style="text-align: center;"> <p class="western" align="center"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Discussant Response to “Re-Positioning Education in Nigeria for peace and Development” by CHIEF PHILIP C.ASIODU, CFR, CON, HLF</b></span></p> <p class="western" align="center"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Discussant- Emeritus Prof. Njidda M.Gadzama, OFR, FAS, HLF</b></span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>PROTOCOL</b></span></p> <p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;">Let me kindly abide by the protocol of the speaker-the </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Superior Chief</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">, besides being a very </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Noted Super Perm</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Sec.</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> and a </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>true patriot of Nigeria</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">. Since I am not an Excellency or a Chief, let me settle for the Distinguished Gentlemen thing, because all those carrying </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>HLF</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> after their names are all very </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Distinguished </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">in the service of Nigeria. I am very proud and honored to belong to this special group.</span></p> <p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>GENERAL REMARKS</b></span></p> <p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;">In 14 pages, this great man has delivered what needs to be said, in positive terms, for Nigeria to move forward. If I could gate crash to see Mr. President –His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, despite the Cabals, I would present this paper to him as something most credibly fresh and urgent for serious discussion at the Executive Council for early action. This paper must reach Mr. President!</span></p> <p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Abandonment of Planning and Disciplined Implementation Plans</b></span></p> <p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Chief has not spared us of the down side, as when you read the first paragraph of page 2, one is worried that revolution is currently erupting in Nigeria. But he has also provided cogent reason for the down side as “</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>the abandonment of planning and disciplined implementation” </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">of any good plans.</span></p> <ul> <li> <p align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;">What happened to the 1975 plan and subsequent ones?</span></p> </li> <li> <p align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;">What happened to War Against Indiscipline (WAI)?</span></p> </li> <li> <p align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;">What happened to Vision 2010 that the Chief and I worked so hard to develop?</span></p> </li> <li> <p align="justify">What is even happening now to the Vision 2020?</p> </li> </ul> <p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;">I agree that disintegration of Nigeria is not the solution to our problem; in fact disintegration will create more problem than what we have today. It will definitely be a major mayhem in all directions; no State will be spared. The good performance of Nigerians at national and international levels, the size of Nigeria both in population and geography earns respect, if not fear. But with the level of corruption in Nigeria, the powers of the cabals, the ethnic nationalisms and visible religious bigotry, where will we find the nationalistically charismatic leader to unite this country? Maybe as Ghanaian author-Ayi Kwei Armah wrote, </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>“the beautyful ones are not yet born “. </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">May Nigeria give birth to many beautiful ones for future advancement.</span></p> <p class="western"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>National Vision and Agenda 2040</b></span></p> <p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;">As a lecturer, this section appeals to academic people instantly and brings out the most positive proposal for turn around situation. If </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>“the essential element in the National Vision 2040”</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> on page 5 has been listed in chronological order of importance, then I would place </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>“Eradication of Corruption in all Facets of National Life” </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">as no.3. It is suggested that Nigeria Diaspora should be massively involved in its implementation.</span></p> <p class="western" align="justify">“<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Universal Compulsory Good Quality Education up to the age of 18”; </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">this should be followed by compulsory military service to the nation for two years by the recipients.</span></p> <p class="western" align="justify">“<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Federal Government should agree on a program to ensure that within 7 years, starting with these ten, the Universities of Ibadan, Lagos, Ife, Zaria, Nsukka, Benin, Ilorin, Jos, Maiduguri, and Port Harcourt, should be made to achieve good international standards” (on page 12). </b></span><span style="font-size: medium;">To this regard, there is a Report of Federal Ministry of Education Committee which I had the honor to Chair, recommended to Federal Government to fund and develop six Universities (one each from the six national zones of the country) to international standard. But it was shelved for establishing more Federal Universities; these new Universities could not reach acceptable local standards and depended heavily on over burdened staff from other more developed Universities as visiting lecturers. States should do more in developing their Universities to reasonable standards so that these could carry out research on the problems of the States similar to the functions of the Land Grant Universities in the United States of America. NUC should be more firm in maintaining quality standard in the Universities. In the cases of Malaysia Singapore and South Korea, quality education is quality progress, indeed. A system that relegates technical education to the background cannot advance technically. Nigeria, according to Chief Asiodu, is not achieving the UNESCO 25% budgetary allocation for Education; the present 7% allocation cannot achieve much in developing quality education at primary, secondary and at tertiary levels. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Nigeria must urgently manage population growth!</b></span></p> <p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;">Let me end this brief response to this most wonderful paper by </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>our most patriotic Chief Asiodu CFR, CON, HLF.</b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> I still however own the view that the paper should reach His Excellency, the President soonest.</span></p> <p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thank you and God bless.</span></p> <p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;">Prof. Emeritus N.M. GADZAMA, OFR, FAS, HLR</span></p> <p class="western" align="justify"><span style="font-size: medium;">Discussant</span></p> </div>

Keynote speech on the Finnish education system by H E Pirjo Suomela Chowdhury, Ambassador of Finland 2012

<h3 style="text-align: left;">Keynote speech on the Finnish education system by H E Pirjo Suomela Chowdhury, Ambassador of Finland 2012 at the HLF Young Achievers' Awards on 15 December 2014</h3> <strong>Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, all young people present here today.</strong> Thank you for inviting me to this very important event. It is a great honour for me to be associated with your organization. The aims of Hallmarks of Labour Foundation are ones that should be promoted in every country all over the world - encouraging young people to contribute to their society, and to bring out the best in themselves and in others. To promote those aims, I believe education to be the single most important element in any society. I am therefore delighted that I was asked to say a few words about the education system in Finland. In the limited time that we have, I will try to draw attention to some of the most basic and defining elements of that system: Firstly, the most fundamental element: Equality of opportunity. In Finland good quality schools are available for all, in every corner of the country. It does not matter where you go to school. What matters is that you have the motivation, and make the effort to achieve good results in your studies. Your results will be just as appreciated, and will count as much in applying for further studies, whether they are from a small relatively unknown school in northern Finland, or somewhere else. Primary and lower secondary education are free of charge including instruction, school materials, school meals, health care, dental care, commuting, special needs education and remedial teaching. Secondly, a strong appreciation of the notion of education. This is of course not only unique to Finland – but something that is very important there. On one hand, it means the appreciation and valuing of learning and developing yourself as a goal in itself. On the other, it means that education is seen as a way to progress in life and to realize your full potential and career goals.  Apparently, there is also a readiness to work hard for a relatively moderate gain in financial terms. In Finland, studying for several years at university for a Master's Degree rarely makes you rich – but it does open up a lot of horizons for a very fulfilling career. Another very important element: highly-qualified, capable and motivated teachers. Teacher training in Finland is taken very seriously. Teachers are required to have a Master’s degree, including pedagogical studies and teaching practice. Teaching profession is very popular in Finland. There is serious competition amongst the best of students to enter teacher training programmes. That means that universities can select the most motivated and talented applicants. Teachers are respected professionals who have strong autonomy in their work.   Ladies and gentlemen, Only after listing these three elements – equality of opportunity, appreciation of education, and the quality of teachers - would I start looking at other issues, as success factors of the education system in Finland.  But of course, there are many important ones. I will mention some of them: <ul> <li>The education model is based on the empowerment of schools. While legislation and a core curriculum come from national level, and local authorities have the responsibility to implement those, schools have a lot of freedom in how they provide instruction, and what its contents are.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>A student-centered approach: It is actually efficient - good learning results are achieved with short school days, and a relatively small amount of homework. Students spend much less time in the classroom than in many other countries. Each student’s learning and welfare are also supported and tailored to individual needs as much as possible. Students in upper grades are offered guidance in choosing their educational paths.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>I also want to mention something very typically Finnish: free school meals. All pupils in primary and secondary school in Finland are served daily a warm school meal. Taking care of nutritional needs is important for learning, and for general welfare, including hopefully also taking up healthy eating habits in a longer term.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Flexibility of the educational path: No dead ends. No need to make binding choices too early. The possibility, for instance, to continue from vocational education to university - not only from upper secondary school, which is the most common route.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Staying in school: More than 90% of students take up general or vocational upper secondary studies immediately after basic education. It is very uncommon to leave school at 16 when the legal requirement ends.</li> </ul> Ladies and gentlemen, A few words on the important issue of vocational education: In past years, interest in vocational education and training has been steadily growing in Finland. At present, some 45% of students at 16 continue into vocational education. For the labour market and national economy, this is an important point, as they need young people with many kinds of educational background and skills, not only university graduates. Polytechnics in Finland are also an important part of that picture. They form part of the higher education system, but are more practically oriented than universities. The aim is to train professionals in a way that is responsive to labour market needs, and to conduct research and development that supports instruction and promotes regional development. And finally, I would like to say something about life-long learning: More than half of the adult population in Finland participates in adult education. Study opportunities are available at all educational levels. It is possible, at any age, for instance, to go back to upper secondary school. There are also flexible ways for adults to maintain vocational skills, or to qualify for a completely new occupation. And there are less formal avenues: every Autumn in Finland, adults of all ages queue to locally organized evening classes to learn anything from handicrafts to languages to ancient history. Mostly, they do this simply because they find learning an enjoyable hobby. Over the years, I have taken many of those classes myself. Ladies and gentlemen, To try to sum up: The good results in education in Finland are produced by a system that is based on equal opportunity, flexibility, highly professional teaching staff, and an appreciation of learning. It is not magic tricks, or individual techniques that produce the results. But when the results are produced, that is magic J. Wherever I go, I like to emphasize the importance of education. I believe it is perhaps the single most important factor in the success and fulfillment of an individual, and a nation. I realize that the elements I have listed here today are not necessarily all unique to Finland - and also that good results can be produced by different kinds of systems. Obviously, I also know that the Finnish system – while very good – is not perfect. No system can ever be. Nevertheless, it is always good to share experiences and learn from each other. I hope that what I have had to say today, has given you some useful food for thought. I thank you for your kind attention. Culled From <a href="http://www.finlandnigeria.org/public/default.aspx?contentid=318523&nodeid=31434&culture=en-US">http://www.finlandnigeria.org/public/default.aspx?contentid=318523&nodeid=31434&culture=en-US</a>  

Speech by the Executive Secretary at the HLF 15th Anniversary

<p style="text-align: left;" align="center">“For us as a Foundation, we will continue in our quest to</p> <p style="text-align: left;" align="center">change the mindset of Nigerians and</p> <p style="text-align: left;" align="center">awaken in us the spirit of nationalism and hard work”</p> <p style="text-align: left;" align="center">- <strong>Patricia Otuedon –Arawore</strong></p> Hallmarks of Labour Foundation (HLF) celebrates her 15<sup>th</sup> anniversary in October 2011. HURRAY!  Fifteen Glorious Years! Oh, how time flies! But, it is also a time to pause and reflect on how it all started, in the year 1996.   Indeed the 1990s were great years, but it was also a period that some of us will describe as one of the darkest moments in Nigeria’s chequered political history, especially as our reputation amongst  the League of Nations was at its lowest ebb. To the outside world, the average Nigerian was a criminal of sorts, fraudsters popularly known as 419, drug smugglers etc.   At International Airports of entry, we were subjected to the worst indignities. We were stripped off our clothing, to ensure that we were not concealing banned substances. Nigeria became a Pariah in the International Community while criminal minds bestrode our landscape with absurd lifestyles bordering on criminal extravagance. Thus, people with no visible means of income rode the best cars, lived in mansions and spent money with careless abandon. A wave of negative role models emerged.   In the mean time, what happened to the law abiding Nigerians, the professional class-Doctors, Engineers and Teachers etc…..? Mild recognition from a bewildered citizenry, we dare say!   It was therefore in light of this increasing decay on our moral fabric, occasioning dishonest practices, inefficient management of funds, natural resources and lack of transparency by various governments, that HLF was conceived with the following aims and objectives.   <ul> <li>To search for and identify Nigerians, Africans and people of the Black race who have achieved success through hard work, honesty and integrity in every field of human endeavours.</li> <li>To use the achievements of these Role Models as examples to educate Nigerians that success through genuine labour is more rewarding and fulfilling.</li> <li>To develop a positive attitude among Nigerians especially the youths, and encourage them to discard fraud, dishonesty and greed as a means to success.</li> <li>To help make Nigeria a decent society that deserves the respect of other nations of the world, thereby enhancing investment and tourism.</li> </ul>   <strong> WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT NIGERIA IS NOT A LOST CASE</strong> There are in our society, men and women with exemplary character, who in spite of all odds have embraced hardwork, honesty and integrity with lofty, enviable achievements to show for it. Great Nigerians who can match and even out shine their counterparts anywhere in the world. It was upon this truth that the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation was born in 1996.   <strong>THE JOURNEY SO FAR</strong> In the last 15 years, Hallmarks of Labour Foundation has projected hard work and excellence and consistently promoted the best of Nigeria, through its yearly AWARDS to Nigerians who have made giant strides and great contributions to the Nation; through their exemplary lifestyles and great leadership skills. The Foundation has also published several books and aired television documentaries, on these great Nigerians to showcase them as role Models to the youth and as notice boards to announce to the people that, indeed, there is dignity in labour. By doing so, the Foundation continues to give the Nigerian Youth a choice and encourage them towards the path of honesty, patriotism and dignity in labour through character emulation.   <strong>HALLMARKS OF LABOUR FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME</strong> <strong> </strong>In 2008, the Foundation decided it was time to begin to catch them young. To nurture and groom tomorrow’s leaders, mindful of the fact that the investment in our human capital is crucial to our development as a nation. No nation can be truly great unless the mental energy of her youth is properly harnessed. It is to this end and also in pursuit of our primary objective to promote the virtues of hard work, honesty and integrity in Nigeria that Hallmarks of Labour Foundation Annual Secondary School and Tertiary Institution Scholarship Scheme was established, with a focus on the indigent children of the Niger Delta. in 2008/2009, seventy-one secondary school students and ten tertiary students benefited from the scholarship awards. the duration of the award of the secondary school level is six years and three for the tertiary students. (i.e. throughout the duration of their courses). Presently Seventy four Secondary School and Ten Tertiary students are benefiting from the scholarship Awards. We are proud to state here that the secondary school students have now concluded their junior WASCE and are already in Senior Secondary school, level one (S.S.S 1) while the ten Tertiary Students have graduated.   <strong>WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIA</strong> <strong> </strong>The Foundation over the years has organised several workshops and symposia at national level and at university campuses with the following aims: *  To enlighten the Nigerian public, rekindle the awareness of their civic rights and responsibilities and show how their performance or otherwise can affect the nation’s development * To remind governments at all levels  of their responsibilities to their citizens * To change the mindset of Nigerians and awaken in them the spirit of Nationalism, Patriotism and Loyalty.   <strong>MENTORING</strong> In addition to workshops, symposia and lectures, the Foundation continues to organise periodic primary and secondary schools visits for Role Models to act as mentors to students especially in the area of uprightness of character, patriotism and good citizenship in addition to special editions of the programme, “Hallmarks of Labour” being played to the students.   <strong> COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTS</strong> Our Annual Empowerment Scheme, which also started in 2008, has provided small scale business equipments and various items for trading plus cash gifts as start up capital to numerous widows and the needy. Despite all attendant difficulties in situating projects in the creeks, we are pleased to state that Hallmarks of Labour Foundation has successfully commissioned the Uwangue Otuedon-Okome borehole water project in Jakpa, Warri North Local Govt. Area of Delta State. This water project commissioned in 2009 is the only drinking water borehole on the Benin River axis. This is the sad irony of a people, who though live on water, are surrounded by water and yet have no water to drink. We are also informed that the borehole apart from serving as a source of drinking water, is also a means of livelihood to the women of the Community who sells buckets of water to …………   <strong>HALLMARKS OF LABOUR ROLE MODEL AWARDS (HLR)</strong> We celebrate our first Role Model in the person of late Prof. Thomas Adeoye Lambo, first African Psychiatrist and first Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the 28<sup>th</sup> of November, 1997, almost fourteen years ago! Since then our list of Role Models, twenty-seven in all remains impeccable and faultless, little wonder, that the Hallmarks of Labour Role Model Awards have been described as the most prestigious Awards in Nigeria. Today, we celebrate a few more Role Models, “The Great Nigerians”. Men and Women, whom by their achievements and sacrifices have stamped their foot prints on the sands of time, and have become worthy examples for the younger generation to emulate. We salute them as they join the role call of eminent Hallmarks of Labour Recipients.   <strong>WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR HALLMARKS OF LABOUR?</strong> The Foundation would like to use the Occasion of this 16<sup>th</sup> Anniversary to create awareness and seek sponsorship for its ongoing projects in the area of funding for our Annual Secondary School Scholarship Scheme which till date is funded with the help of our partners, all of whom are private individuals. At this juncture, we cannot but remember our beloved partner, Mrs Remi Ayida, our greatest individual sponsor who passed away in June this year. May her gentle soul rest in perfect peace. We plan to expand the scope of the scheme and enlarge the number of Annual Beneficiaries. We also intend to build a Modern Community Library with on-line facilities in Warri, Delta State. Indeed, we are happy to note that the land for this project has already been purchased by the Foundation. Finally, our ultimate objective is to build a Hall of Honour where the names and portraits of all our Recipients, HLR, will be engraved for all time. In time also, this Hall will become a museum of nation builders: great men and women who have made history, serving as inspiration and providing the much needed national pride and patriotism. Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, welcomes you all to this epoch making event of our 15<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Celebration and Awards. Again, we congratulate our worthy Recipients of today’s Awards. We thank them also for their numerous achievements from which Nigeria has greatly benefited. No doubt, the time has come for us to join hands to make Nigeria a decent society, a great nation that deserves the respect of other nations of the world. For these are the principles for which Hallmarks of Labour Foundation was founded.

Executive Secretary Speech at the HLF 17th Anniversary

<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">The Chairman of the occasion, Professor Mrs. Grace Alele Williams, our special guest of honour, respected Chief Emeka Anyaoku Your Excellencies, my Lord Spiritual and temporal our distinguished Award Winners and guests. Let me join my Chairman, Emeritus Professor Umaru Shehu to welcome you all to this very special 17</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 16px;"> Anniversary Awards.</span></h3> Last year, during our sixteenth anniversary, the Foundation turned a search light on the youths with the aim of discovering young talented Nigerians, mentor, encourage and provide a platform for them to realize their maximum potentials. Among the Young Achievers are Nigeria’s Youngest Ph.D holders, Opeyemi Deborah Sodipe and Adeyemi Olabisi Temitope both 25 years, I understand that Adeyemi Temitope is here this evening. The Foundation also provided Laboratory Equipments and Computers to the best performing schools in WASSCE 2011, namely: Lumen Christi International High School, Uromi, Edo State and Air Force Comprehensive School, Agbani, Enugu State. Today, it is a great honour to have in our midst the 2012 best performing school in WASSCE and we congratulate the principal and students of Presentation National High School, Benin City for a job well done. As their reward, the Foundation will equip their computer room with a donation of Ten (10) Desktop Computers. Also, in line with our objectives to mentor, encourage and provide a platform for the younger generations to achieve their maximum potentials, the Foundation will donate a Bore-Hole Water System and Desktop Computers to a disadvantaged school nominated by the best performing school in WASSCE 2012. We are glad to announce that the benefiting school is Queen Apostles Nursery & Primary School, Shinge Lafia, Nasarawa State. We hope that this gesture will help in a small way to elevate the suffering of these young pupils.   At this juncture, we are happy to note that the Hallmarks of Labour Foundation Secondary School Scholarship Scheme started in 2008, recorded its first SSS3 graduands, all eighty (80) of them made us proud and many have been admitted into various universities. Anyhow, this is not an evening for speeches, Dr. Pat Utomi, our guest speaker for this evening is here to do that. Once more I congratulate our award winners and thank them for their numerous achievements from which Nigeria has greatly benefited.   <strong>Thank you and God bless!</strong>

Address by the Chief Host at the Public Presentation of “Hallmarks of Labour VOL. 7

<strong>PROTOCOL</strong> It is with a sense of mission and great pleasure that I welcome you, our distinguished guests to this special event – the formal presentation of Hallmarks Labour Volume 7.  We particularly welcome those of you who have come from beyond Lagos State to give honour to our respected elder statesmen and noble patriots. The Hallmarks of Labour Foundation has come a long way since its conception about 17 years ago. We in Lagos State have followed its growth and progress with keen interest, noting its tremendous attainments to date. Its role model series – captured on television and in books -- have continued to make waves across the land even as its philanthropic activities have impacted significantly on the lives of several persons, families and communities in a number of States, including Delta, Edo, Enugu, Lagos and Nassarawa. The Government of Lagos State is indeed fulfilled to be associated with the Foundation, which it has hosted for close to two decades. We are also grateful to the Foundation for the Scholarship granted twenty (20) secondary school students of Lagos State. More grace to your elbows. Today, we celebrate another set of three eminent Nigerians – arguably among the cream of their fields of endeavour. Undoubtedly, Hon. Justice Obakayode Samuel Eso, Professor Ben. Obi. Nwabueze and Professor Oladipo Olujimi Akinkugbe need no introductions. But, a celebration of their lives and times can never be over-stressed. This is part of the essence of Hallmarks of Labour. We urge you to support the noble efforts of the Foundation to promote Nigerian role models and to boost the socio-economic conditions of talented, indigent youngsters. I salute and welcome you all once again to this celebration of excellence and acknowledgement of our contemporary role models. Thanks and God bless you all. <strong>H.E. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire</strong> <strong>Deputy Governor of Lagos State</strong>