Opinion
2019 Polls: ‘Atikulating’ the Atiku Option
Published
7 years agoon
By
Eric
By Nkannebe Raymond
When it became clear that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would emerge the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the just concluded National Convention of the party, as I watched from the comfort of my apartment yesterday (Sunday) morning, I was overtaken by emotions. Late Saturday night, as I followed the exercise on screen, I had told a group of friends whom I had a conversation with (on the chances of each of the twelve aspirants), that this was Atiku’s last shot at the presidency considering the odds his declining age would pose to any further aspirations come 2023 in the event he loses the ticket this time. And more so, as it would be hard to think that the cracks that occurred both in the APC and the PDP in the race to 2019, would repeat itself in a manner such as would come with a basket of opportunity for the man.
And so when it was eventually announced that he has emerged the candidate of the PDP after an electoral process that would make a Yakubu Mohammed rethink his appropriateness for the office he occupies, after garnering a whopping 1532 votes with his closest rival scratching a distant 693 votes, I took pity on a man whose political road in the words of that great Educationist, Tai Solarin, has been rough.
At the same time, I was happy for him for having stepped up to the threshold of history this time, as in all his five attempts at clinching the number 1 political office in the Country which began in 1991, never has he stood in a position that saw him more close to its actualization as now. All previous attempts have not quite seen him become a candidate under a platform with the structure to give life to what critics might call vaulting ambitions. When he emerged the candidate of the defunct Action Congress (AC) in 2007 after a bare knuckled political warfare with his erstwhile boss, he came a distant third at the general election, garnering supposedly only 7% of the votes in an election that stands out today as the worst in the nation’s chequered history. 2011 was ‘a no-go-area’ of sorts given the peculiar nature of the political environment at the time, while 2014 saw him lose out at the primaries to the incumbent president.
And so when he took that historical walk from where he sat at the VIP section of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt ─venue of the convention, up to the podium to deliver his acceptance speech for what he acknowledges as a privilege to serve, I was literally overtaken by goose bumps brought about by a solemn retrospection into the tortuous political journey of a man whose success story is the prototypical tale of unflinching determination and doggedness towards the actualisation of a noble cause. And I like to think that the emotional weight of all these, must have operated in no small measure to force the tears down his plum cheeks while he picked the party’s presidential ticket months ago─ tears which must have been informed by his innermost acknowledgment of the fact that this was his last chance at the presidency that so fits his carriage and body frame after repeated trials that must have come with huge financial, emotional and psychological costs at each occasion. In many ways, his journey to the current position he occupies, mirrors the circumstances that also dogged incumbent president Muhammadu Buhari’s aspirations to the presidency, which eventually found manifestation three years ago.
Atiku’s ambitions all along must have suffered from the damage wrought on his person by former President Olusegun Obasanjo who for reasons best known to him, has sworn not to forgive his former deputy for “sins” that have not been effectively communicated to Nigerians. While the Ota farmer’s influence across the Nigerian political firmament remained intact, they operated to frustrate the emergence of an Atiku Presidency. And on many occasions, the former president had come out to say that “while he lives, Atiku would not be President”. This ‘damage’ as it appeared, soon became a sing-song and many Nigerians in their typical uncritical manner bought whatever was said of him by the ‘Chief Watcher of the Federation’ of the presidential library infamy.
Across Nigeria, people who knew little or nothing of the antecedents of the man─particularly as relates to the foundations of his wealth which dates back to many years before his becoming a vice-president, were given to react dismissively of him, on grounds amongst others that he “is corrupt”. On several occasions I have been buffeted by critics who are never tired of describing the man as a Robin hood of sorts. You’d think that they would be generous enough to give flesh to these very outlandish allegations, but all you’ll get are recitations of conspiracy theories that would make a script for a blockbuster motion picture.
For many of these traducers visibly suffering from acute “pull-him-down-syndrome”, they were only relaying or repeating what they heard that was said of the man. Indeed, the story of Atiku’s ugly perception amongst many Nigerians as aided by the media, lends credence to the gobbelian propagandist philosophy that when you consistently repeat falsehood it somehow graduates into truth. But the fact remains that these allegations are mere hogwash, and calculated attempt to tarnish the man’s hard earned reputation.
With his emergence yesterday as the PDP’s candidate, there seem to have been a resurgent of this well lubricated propaganda that tars the waziri Adamawa with the brush of corruption. A ‘corruptness’, if I might use that word, that has not been substantiated by any court of competent jurisdiction many years after he left public service. The rave of the moment however, is the petty insinuation making the rounds that Atiku cannot be issued with an American Visa, having been banned from entry into that country on allegations bordering on corruption as though a visit to the United States were a condition precedent to qualify to the exalted office of the Nigerian president─a campaign launched and funded by a section of the political Mafioso that rue the emergence of an Atiku Presidency.
But the tables are looking set to be turned with the popular mandate he received yesterday. For all the outright falsehood that have been peddled against the person of Atiku Abubakar, the good news as far as one could gather, is that many Nigerians are beginning to see through the ruse having witnessed the oversized ‘integrity’ of president Muhammadu Buhari and his ‘lifeless’ superintendence. Many persons are beginning to ask critical questions of these blatant allegations that resemble those of a Christine Blassey Ford against, a very fine Judge in the United States, which cries to the heavens for substantiation. More enlightened Nigerians are no longer willing to lend themselves to be used as a fodder to propagate sheer falsehood against a man who have built businesses across the length and breadth of this country, and have created wealth more than any other politician of his ranking. Nigerians are now more disposed to pointing naysayers to the numerous accomplishments of the man in the business world that speak eloquently of his often scrutinised wealth.
But even more importantly, all through social media, commentators have not ceased calling attention to the fact that the 2019 election is not a referendum on the integrity or otherwise of Atiku Abubakar. They have reiterated that it remains a referendum on Buhari’s performance in the core areas of Economy, Corruption and Security, in the last three and a half years he has been in the saddle. The sentiment out there is that Nigeria must not be led by a saint for it to make progress. On the contrary, Nigerians seem to be asking for a competent hand and a quality-head who understands the Nigerian problem and most importantly can engineer solutions out of them. And the consensus out there is that incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, cannot deliver on that score, lacking in the main, the intellectual capacity and innovation of mind to rejig the extant comatose ship of state.
Having acknowledged that at the core of the progress of modern nation states is the function of how they revolutionize their economy to position it for profits in an international market that has become too competitive, the public sentiment seem to be that having built from the scratch very successful businesses that today provide thousands of direct and indirect jobs to many Nigerians, an Atiku Presidency, can only draw from these sterling credentials to turn around the deplorable state of the Nigerian economy that saw the country ignominiously become the world’s poverty capital as per the Brookings Institution reports released some four months ago. This, more than anything else remains the selling point of the Atiku option.
With what has been described as a one sided war against corruption; increasing insecurity in the North East, Northwest and middle belt regions of the country, that the current administration has failed to deliver on the minimum standards it set for itself at inception is no longer open to debate. While it cannot be seriously canvassed that Nigerians are now safer than they used to be, the overbanked crusade against corruption remain for the most part a sensational warfare targeted at opposition party members─this much, finds context in the testimonies of international economic institutions, ala HSBC and The Economist Report. Little wonder why the atmosphere from the North to the East and down to the South today, is: “give us anything but Buhari”─ a similar situation that played out in 2015 to the political milage of the current administration.
As though committed to making true his declaration in the early days of his government that constituencies that gave him 97 per cent votes in the 2015 elections would be more accommodated as against those which gave a paltry 5 per cent votes, the instant administration has unwittingly ran a government that makes nonsense of inclusivity and the constitutionally sanctioned Federal Character principle; thus overruling himself on his famous “I belong to everybody, I belong to nobody” declaration. If there is one area where Nigerians have achieved consensus on the Buhari presidency, it is indeed in his tribalist, nay nepotistic tendencies that have operated to qualify only northern Muslims for choice positions in his government. The ugly consequence of this, is the division today in the polity across ethnic and religious lines; a division exacerbated by a president’s proclivity to see the Country only through the prism of the grasslands of the savannah.
But the point in all this is that an Atiku presidency would contrast this condemnable political behaviour in many ways. Whereas a devout Muslim from the Fulani stock, Atiku Abubakar without any intent to be hyperbolic, could pass for the most detribalised of Nigerians. A veritable instance of this came to full throttle 25 years ago when he shelved his presidential ambitions by stepping down for M.K.O Abiola, a Southerner, against a fellow Northerner, Babagana Kingibe in the June 12, 1993 election. His extensive public service years that saw him crisscross different parts of the Country, with a large chunk of that in the oil rich Rivers State; and his successful business background must have operated to bring about his libertarian persona that looks for the best in people without ethnic or sectarian prejudice. Indeed to be able to bring about a transformative leadership with the ability to unite Nigerians around a pan-Nigerian vision for global competitiveness among the committee of well managed states, the Nigerian leader must not only be detribalised, but seen to be detribalised so as to be able to galvanize the peoples of Nigeria around a common cause with vistas of improvement in their overall wellbeing. With a close circle of associates, family ties and extensive business dealings, Atiku indeed typifies a united Nigeria that is at home with all, and all is at home with. And this can be seen in his consistently demonstrated commitment to the unity and cohesion of Nigeria at important times in its history.
With an unapologetic belief in restructuring as a key panacea to our arrested development, Nigerians are assured of a president
who will be ready to take the bulls by the horn in order to set the nation on the path of sustainable growth and development. To be sure, restructuring, as far as the present realities of Nigeria goes, is a project that can no longer be dismissed with a wave of the hand or made obscure by the writ of governmental quangos, a vice president, inclusive. If indeed Nigerians desire a fiscal restructuring of the Country, then an Atiku presidency, would surely give life to those desires as he has not wavered from reiterating the need for a restructured Nigeria. And his proposals around this, is not in the least vague. Restructuring would simply be achieved by tinkering with the Constitution in some respect to depopulate the exclusive legislative list, and return some items on the concurrent list to the states, he argues. And this, he has said, is achievable in six months.
At a function at the University of Nigeria Nsukka few months ago, he threw more light on this campaign thus: Restructuring would mean devolving more powers to the federating units with the accompanying resources. It means greater control by the federating units of the resources in their areas. It would mean, by implication, the reduction of the powers and roles of the federal government so that it would concentrate only on those matters that could best be handled by the centre and fiscal policies, immigration, customs and excise, aviation as well as setting and enforcing national standards on such matters as education, health and safety….I believe that the benefits accruing from these first steps will help us move towards changes that require amendments to our constitution”. One cannot agree more.
Beyond all these, Atiku comes across as a quintessential manager of men and resources. As a successful business man whose enterprise run more on capacity than contact, he is unarguably equipped with the requisite skills and knowledge of practical economic management to lead Nigeria’s economic renaissance. As a business owner with operations in sensitive areas of the economy, he obviously understands the need of creating an enabling economic environment that would attract investors, and catalyse economic growth. As a major player in critical sectors of the economy with a distinction for massive job creation, it is without a doubt that Atiku is better positioned to be entrusted with a nation in economic doldrums as against a professional politician whose only claim to economic success is in animal husbandry in the remote corners of Daura, Katsina state that couldn’t buy a presidential nomination form. With his vast economic experiences and contacts both within and without, Atiku can leverage on all of these positives in developing economic blueprints that would create jobs, expand the economy and pull out millions of Nigerians from a biting and excruciating poverty. And finally, as the success of his numerous businesses cannot be divorced from the quality of heads and hands managing them, it is beyond debate that Atiku has an eye for the best of professionals. And by the same token, Nigerians can rest assured that his presidency would bring together the finest of brains who would help in driving the Getting Nigeria Working Again, policy thrust of his campaign.
The Choice before Nigerians as 2019 approaches therefore is not much: it is one between a president that has shown repeatedly not to be armed with the basic tools and intellectual component of leading a nation in the 21st century, and a man who has consistently proven to be innovative, technologically inclined and consistently elevating the discourse around the Nigerian question on occasions as against calling for dogs and baboons to be enmeshed in war. It is a choice between a leap away from the current state of economic quagmire, to one with vistas of economic prosperity for all and sundry; for it could be argued that if Atiku could do it with his numerous businesses, he is more likely to do so with Nigeria; in the same way a Donald Trump who rode to power in the United States on the wings of his successful business background in 2016, is today turning around the economic fortunes of the country. Nigerians therefore, must resist the temptation to obfuscate the real issues in the days to come by hired hands of the incumbent administration with the dissipation of energy over a phantom trip to the United States or an unsubstantiated criminal indictment.
For all the hoopla that would be made of these in the days to come, Nigerians must not forget that the fact remains that “Atiku’s incontestable nationalist credentials and business acumen stands him in good stead to unite Nigerians of all ethnic nationalities around a purposeful pan-Nigerian economic agenda that will transform the Country from its current status of a political wasteland to that of economic opportunities and successful competitive modern economy which can grow its wealth base by securing an increased share of global resources through improved external trade and overseas investment” as one fine commentator put it.
If our choices by 2019 are calibrated along these lines, then the Atiku option would be an easy one.
Raymond Nkannebe ─ a legal practitioner and public affairs analyst writes from Lagos and can be reached through raymondnkannebe@gmail.com
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Very jittery about the coalition, and it should rightly feel so.
If coordinated properly, they have the capacity and numbers to upstage APC, from national politics.
If they manage to do it, it will be well-deserved.
The neo-liberal economic policies embarked on by BAT has shrunk the economy brutally.
The country has shrunk far more economically after removing fuel subsidy, particularly when electricity is still non-existent, raising production costs infinitely and lowering spending, making it a double-whammy for millions.
Electricity costs have been double even when its generation, distribution and transmission hasn’t improved significantly blunting claims of Nigerians needing to pay humongous amounts if they want electricity, even if several examples exist of Countries in the Global South with far more reasonable electricity charges with even more access to electricity.
Let’s now add devaluation, that skyrocketed costs of goods in an import-dependent economy and ran more millions into penury.
War-level inflation, rising costs of living, food prices off the ceiling.
And what they have been told is that, that is the only way to rejig the economy.
The supposed billions stolen by subsidy thieves hasn’t been retrieved, and perpetrators jailed.
Customs officials that permit fuel smuggling that justified subsidy removal weren’t arrested and jailed.
Yet, the people who weren’t responsible for these lapses were told to stomach these lapses and adjust to “SAP” tightening adjustments.
Minimum wage of 70k has still not been paid, what was done was a cynical 40k wage award across levels. This after fuel went from 185 to over 900 naira in some places, and skyrocketing prices of goods quarter-by-quarter.
In 2000, When Olusegun Obasanjo raised minimum wage from 250naira to 5500 naira, and Federal civil servants pay raised from 3500 to 7500, it triggered the phrase “GBEMU AREMU” (Aremu’s Largesse) that raised national income and subsequent spending across several sectors.
Teachers would buy Opel cars prompting applause when it was announced on assembly grounds, and several civil servants started building houses leading to a construction boom.
Federal contractors are being owed despite government claims of record revenues, and gaslighting statements of more allocations being accrued to Governors.
Let us now go back to pet peeves about allocation of projects.
Gilbert Chagoury’s HITECH got awarded the “Lagos-Calabar coastal road”
The same Chagoury’s HITECH got the Sokoto-Badagry road.
The same HITECH was awarded Benin-Akure-Ilesha road.
Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road was taken from Julius Berger and handed to HITECH.
Chagoury’s ITB also got $700m port revamp contract.
BAT says Alex Zingman who got the $250m contract to bring in tractors from Belarus is his friend.
When major contracts are given to closet accolytes in a family&friends scheme, how will the economy grow, when fairness is out of the window.
Multi-billion dollar contracts are being handed out attimes with no bidding to preferred contractors whom the President openly calls “His Partner” (Chagoury).
This is the samee Chagoury who returned $66million to Switzerland to get his conviction expunged.
He paid $300million to Nigeria’s government to protect him from prosecution for his role in helping General Sani Abacha loot the country by transferring National funds abroad.
Abacha’s special friend tha helped launder money abroad is BAT’s advisor and confidante whose companies get no-bidding contracts and people are to keep quiet.
Yet, APC stalwarts will attempt to gaslight people by saying “Relax, economy is getting better, BAT knows what he is doing”, even when diaspora Nigerians who come into the country exchange their Pounds and USD into Naira, and still cannot cope with the skyrocketing prices.
People are being told to sacrifice, while they see the Presidency buy yatch, new vehicles and Presidential Jet.
If it’s the ADC that will come and trigger the APC, we are all in for it.
Even if several of the characters in ADC have been in government for years. Distributed stealing is much better for the economy than singular appropriation.
Perhaps, when Nigerians change governments over and over, politicians will sit tight and apportion some efforts towards working for masses and treat people with some level of respect.
And the coalition should watch out for Aregbesola, the main reason that has given the coalition impetus. He is not a man who gives half-measures. And he is coming for revenge.
There is no fight as interesting to watch as tight buddies turn into implacable foes.
Knowing him, Aregbesola would likely have control of Lagos ADC, where he would bring in many elements of APC currently disaffected and angry into the party.
Being more conservative than even Tinubu, he would avoid trap of filling positions with non-Yorubas.
What would ensue in Lagos, with an Aregbesola-controlled ADC will be a fight for the ages, people who knew “Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu” before he became “Asiwaju” or “Jagaban” would be brought into the fray.
Imagine for example, Muiz Banire, as Governorship candidate. Prominent families, in Lagos will be split down the middle, as Aregbesola comes for the jugular.
And woe betide APC, if the North refuses to vote for them and APC loses the Presidential election.
It makes the task of dismantling even Lagos from Tinubu’s hold after 28 years easier.
Tinubu’s current yes-men gaslighting people about economy should continue telling people all is well, even when economy squeezes people out.
In 2 years, they might lose everything. Both Federal and beloved Lagos.
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By Ayo Oyoze Baje
“When a leader encourages the culture of impunity, the society is lost and it makes the work harder for the rest of us”
– Prof. Wole Soyinka
One of the bitter facts about striking the delicate balance between criminality and justice is that if the perpetrators of sundry crimes are either treated with kid gloves, or left to walk our streets as free men, some others would view such as the best way to go. Unfortunately, from the persisting challenge of insecurity through the reckless squandering of public funds by some favoured political helmsmen to budget padding, crass impunity has remained the middle name of our democratic dispensation, sad to note.
For instance, recently Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), criticized both the Federal and Benue State Governments for consistently failing to prosecute suspects arrested in connection with violent attacks that have resulted in the killing spree in Benue State. In the statement issued under the platform of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), of which he is the Chairman Falana lamented that although hundreds of suspects have been arrested over the years for crimes ranging from illegal possession of firearms to mass killings and kidnapping, most of them are never charged.
To him President Bola Tinubu’s recent directive to the Nigeria Police Force to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the latest wave of violence in the state is potentially symbolic.He pointed out that previous arrests had not led to convictions or justice for victims. Falana also berated the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, for alleging that residents of Yelwata community provided shelter for the killers. He described the statement as an attempt to shift blame onto victims instead of addressing the systemic failures of security and governance.
Such a sordid situation triggers the burning questions. Is the life of the voiceless victims not important to humanity in general and the country in particular? Are the perpetrators of the scary insecurity ravaging the country that has sent hundreds of thousands of innocent souls to their early graves more valued than that of the defenceless citizens? What is so difficult in identifying the sponsors, who arm them to kill fellow citizens and bring them to justice?
It is a similar situation when it comes to profligacy with regards to the way and manner some politicians squander public funds. Only recently there was disagreement between the National Assembly and the BudgIT over the issue of budget padding to the stupendous amount of N6.93 trillion in the 2025 federal government’s budget. Yet, some Nigerian contractors have remained unpaid for about a year! And there are allegations about some of them awarded contracts without going through the fiscal policy relating to the budget. That runs against Section 5 (b) of the Public Procurement Act. That is impunity, is it not? Yes, it is. But the pain in all of these is that the culture of impunity in places high and low has been with us for eons.
As yours truly highlighted through an opinion essay back in April 2017 all the hue and cry that trailed the probe into the $10billion(or is it $16 billion) sleaze in the power sector years back has long suffered from what physicists call the Doppler Effect, or died a Nigerian “natural death”. And as one warned back then that “was not the first time and it may not likely be the last unless government musters the much needed political will to bring the perpetrators to book.” But is the situation any better today? The answer is patently obvious.
These days we read about the humungous amounts, even in dollars found stashed in the private vaults of some former public office holders. From local government council chairmen to senators and governors, it is a recurring ugly decimal of national shame. But some hungry and disenfranchised poor citizens caught for stealing fowls and goats are either sent behind bars or hounded to hell!
It speaks volume about how those in government interpret words such as accountability, probity and transparency. It demeans us all as a people that those vested with the sacred trust of holding the destiny of men and materials of a country as vast as Nigeria are allowed to go Scot-free after committing various heinous crimes against the state. No one talks about the $12 billion Gulf War windfall again because some people are above the law. Not a few former state governors were once paraded by the EFCC as suspected to have siphoned state funds for self-aggrandizement.But years later some of them have the audacity to want to go back to their former offices, or find their ways to the hallowed Red chamber to make laws for you and yours truly. All these happen because of the insidious culture of impunity
As it was between 2015-2023, one is not surprised, therefore, that some corrupt politicians who defected from the PDP to the ruling APC are surreptitiously enjoying some ignoble immunity. It has happened before. All of these make a mockery of our judiciary process. Many of the proceedings are centuries away from the Information Technology and Communication(ICT) age as obsolete type – writers are still used for recording purpose. Series of laughable injunctions take over the well scripted drama of the absurd, characterized by the shameless display of former politicians suspected of grievous financial crimes, raising their hands in bravado as their paid praise worshippers fan their battered and bruised ego.
It is little of a surprise therefore, that virtually all notable institutions of government; from ministries to departments and agencies have in the past years of our democratic experience been probed for one fraud or the other. But after years of turning their searchlight to unveil the rattling skeletons in their cupboards, nothing meaningful comes out of it.
To several of those accused of such financial misdemeanor Nigeria is one big, slumbering elephant to be milked dry. And the easiest way to have a piece of the national cake is to get elected or appointed into any plum political post. But for how long can we go on this way? Not much longer, I dare say.
Corruption, which is a debasement of set moral values and a violation of standard professional ethics is like a two – edged sword that cuts both the victim and the misguided beneficiary. When those who have short changed the system are not brought to speedy justice it emboldens others with similar criminal inclinations to commit worse crimes.
It is responsible, as in the Nigerian politico-economic situation for the countless pot hole – riddled roads, the epileptic power supply, pervasive preventable diseases and mass youth employment that have turned into daylight monsters haunting us all.
As one admonished the then President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in 2017 so I do now to the President Bola Tinubu-led government. To shame all critics he must muster the political will, backed with the enabling laws by the National Assembly to transform both the EFCC and the ICPC into well toothed bulldogs that bark and bite. And no one, no matter his political persuasion, must be above the rule of law. As Isabel Allende aptly stated: ” Nothing is as dangerous as power with impunity”.
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Opinion
Skills Acquisition: Way Forward for Nigeria’s Educational Development
Published
3 weeks agoon
June 19, 2025By
Eric
By Ayo Oyoze Baje
“The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways” – Robert Greene
As concerned Nigerians keep deliberating on the best way to navigate the twists and turns inherent in our education delivery system, if yours truly has his way secondary school students should be spending three days of each week for theoretical knowledge and two for practical skills development. These include skills such as tailoring/fashion design, hair dressing and carpentry. Others include building construction, painting, domestic farming, singing, acting, oratory and comedy.
This has become more expedient because in 2023, Nigeria ranked 100th out of 100 countries in Coursera’s Global Skills Report in terms of skill proficiency. Incidentally, the country also ranked low within the Sub-Saharan Africa, placed 12th out of 13 countries.In fact, other African nations such as Botswana and Cameroon outperformed Nigeria in the same report. This was an indication of a significant skills gap in the country. But recent indicators suggest an increase performance that should be built on. For instance, Nigeria showed the fourth-highest year-on-year growth rate for Professional Certificates enrollments on Coursera. This clearly suggests a growing awareness and participation in skills development initiatives which should be built on.
For instance, the unemployment rate in Nigeria stands at about 4.84% in 2025, according to Statista. com. This translates to an estimated 5.74 million people who are unemployed. Similarly, the youth unemployment rate is around 7.50% according to Trading Economics.
Given the current global influence of information technology, the expanding impact of Artificial intelligence ( AI ) and the soaring influence of climate change. Others include the increasing need to ride the freaky waves of economic survival, and the stifling space for employment, not only in Nigeria but across the globe. Yet, the country is abundantly blessed with rare talents in different fields of human endeavour.
Mention names such as Silas Adekunle, known for his robotics expertise and the world’s first intelligent gaming robot or Riya Karumanchi, who invented a device to assist visually impaired individuals the importance of skills acquisition in the development of the talents of our youth gradually dawns on us.
It is a similar scenario when the name of
Hassan and Hussaini Muhammad, who created a way to convert petrol, water, salt, and alum into hydrogen cooking gas crop up. And out there there are other young Nigerian inventors such as Khalifa Aminu (FM transmitter), Muazzam Sani (remote-controlled car), and the team behind the smart walkway light and automatic irrigation. The importance of skills acquisition cannot therefore, be over emphasized.
.
Put in its simple terms, skills acquisition is crucial for Nigerian students academic development, because it enhances their employability, as well as boosts entrepreneurship. In fact, it contributes to overall national development. According to experts on educational development it empowers students to be self-reliant, reduces poverty and unemployment, and also provides them with a global perspective.
The impact and import of students’s skills acquisition is amply deployed in Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun state. There, students are exposed to the practical aspect of whatever course they are studying such that seasoned professionals are invited to deliver the practical aspect of their theoretical knowledge.Such is the impact that engineering students have become problem solvers. They have constructed pavements, fences, designed and built solid infrastructure.
Furthermore, the Centre for Agricultural Technology and Entrepreneurial Studies (CATES) has come up as a key initiative at the same university. As a noble cause it was established to foster practical, solution-oriented approaches to agricultural and entrepreneurial development within the university and the wider community. The skills promoting aspect of it is that CATES focuses on areas such as poultry technology, aquaculture, cassava farming, and mushroom culture. It also operates a vegetable farm and a plantain farm on campus. All these explain why graduates of the citadel of knowledge become self employed, with several of them kick starting the process right from the University as undergraduates. All these boost their financial independence while they contribute to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Skills acquisition therefore,
increases employability, more so in today’s competitive job market. Having relevant skills makes students more attractive to employers. These include skills such as digital literacy, communication, and problem-solving, which are highly valued across various industries.Entrepreneurship programs teach them how to start and manage their own businesses. This eventually, leads to economic growth and improved living standards with appreciable Human Development Index, HDI. By equipping students with practical skills, skill acquisition programs can assist to lift individuals and families out of the terrifying trap of poverty and ultimately reduce the unemployment rate for the country.
From the global perspective, many skills are transferable across borders. This is one good lesson learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic. Nigerian students can latch on it to participate in the global economy through remote work or international collaborations. It also fosters confidence in students, assist them to adapt to the global socio-economic dynamics,while instilling a sense of accomplishment in them, thereby contributing to overall personal growth.
Of great significance, is that
a skilled workforce is essential for the nation’s economic growth and technological advancement. Overall, the skill acquisition programs contribute to building a more productive and innovative society. So Nigeria work on the report which highlighted specific skill areas where it lags, especially technology and data science.
Nigeria should also learn from countries that stand out for their high levels of skill acquisition and development. These include Northern European nations such as Finland, Norway, and Sweden which consistently rank high, along with Switzerland, Singapore, and Germany. These countries often prioritize education, training, and creating opportunities for their populations to acquire and utilize a wide range of skills. As rightly noted by Malcolm X: ” Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today”.
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Uncategorized5 days ago
Things Fall Apart Festival 2025: Chimamanda Adichie Calls for Igbo Unity, Honoured by ATPN
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Business4 days ago
Dangote Refinery Slashes Petrol Price to N820
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Featured4 days ago
FG Pegs Age of Tertiary Institutions Admission at 16 As JAMB Announces Ranking of Candidates
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Featured5 days ago
Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Olakulehin, Dies at 90
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National3 days ago
ADC Assembles 97 Lawyers for Defence in APC’s ‘Fake Lawsuit’
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Headline5 days ago
North Will Celebrate Me If I’m President – Peter Obi
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Sports4 days ago
Galatasaray Proposes €55m Bid to Keep Osimhen
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Headline4 days ago
I Go with Atiku Just As Obidients Are Free to Support Peter Obi – Dele Momodu