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Quadri Yahya
The Pro-chancellor and Governing Council Chairman of the National Open University, NOUN, Prof. Peter Okebukola said one of the major challenges facing Nigeria is lack of good leaders in the country .
Okebukola noted that all sectors in the country can be faulted on the ground of lack of responsible leaders, adding that there is a need to change the narrative.
The former executive secretary of the National University Commission, NUC, said this on Saturday while speaking to newsmen after the celebration of the birthday of former president Olusegun Obasanjo at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun state.
He said, “We are doing very well in leadership but there is still leadership deficit.
“There are challenges in different areas and in all the sectors.”
He also spoke on the topic of the symposium titled; “Leadership and Africa Narrative in Development and Progress of Africa” organized in celebration of Obasanjo as he clocks 85-year-old.
The professor pointed out that the former president’s mission to changing the narratives of Africa by non-Africa is paramount to alter the way the outside world perceive the continent.
“What Obasanjo is saying is that we should take steps to invigorate and hasten our efforts towards making things to be better done.
“You hear non-African narrating about our history, culture, science, technology, health, agriculture and all of that. You see, from that lense, they are not able to see the true picture, the deeper perspectives to the correct story.
“So, what we are saying is that it is about time we started telling our own stories. Talking about science and technology, it is not the West that started the innovation but they are taking the full story of the success of science and technology.”
He added, “As Obasanjo has set up the Africa Narrative Club made up of spectrum of people all over the continent.
“We are not just going to stop here. We are hoping to follow this with workshop, public awareness all over Africa in different languages all the way up.”
The International symposium had in attendance, the Director-General, World Trade Organisation, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Prince Dapo Abiodun represented by his Deputy, Salako Oyedele, in-coming governor of Anambra state, Professor Chukwuma Soludo ex-governor Ibikunle Amosun, first-class monarchs and reputable chiefs in the state.
Others include; Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, United Arab Emirate, Sheikh Shakbook bin Nahyan, the ambassadors, former president, Republic of Benin, Nicéphore Dieudonné and president Paul Kagame, Republic of Rwanda and professor Goski Akabi (Ghana), Juma Shabani (Burundi), ambassador Barry Desker (Singapore) Dr. Mary Khimulu (Kenya), Dr. Moussaka Kondo (Mali) and Professor Sarah Agbor (Cameroon) among others.
