“Nigeria is not poor, our leaders suffer from poverty of ideas” – Femi Falana
As rich as Nigeria is, her leaders are bereft of ideas that can translate the wealth into a new lease of life for her citizens, this according to renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana.
Falana was speaking at a pre-convocation lecture at the Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, Osun State on Friday when he bemoaned massive looting of the nation’s resources by the leaders as a reason for the current economic situation that has swept over the country.
“We are not poor in Nigeria. What we have is poverty of ideas of our leaders,” he said in his lecture titled ‘The blessings of natural resource endowments and the curse of corrupt leadership: critical perspectives on Nigeria’s state of underdevelopment.’
He lamented that despite the government assuring Nigerians that the current hardship that has swept over the nation will soon become a thing of the past, a high level of profligacy among our leaders will make that reality quite difficult.
READ: “It is unfair and fraudulent” – Suspended lawmaker condemns House of Reps’ N3.6bn car acquisitions
Falana called on the government to run a knowledge-based economy rather than depending on natural resources, if it is to surmount all the challenges it currently faces.
“Human capital development is fundamental. We have two laws in Nigeria that have made education free, the UBE Act and the Child’s Rights Act which have been domesticated by about 24 states,” he said.
“The court has said that every Nigerian child shall be educated by the Nigerian state. Also, in the case of Femi Falana vs Attorney General of the Federation, the court held that the government should establish the Nigerian Education Bank but that has not been done.
“In those days, if NANS or NUNS got that copy of judgment, they would have made the country ungovernable but these days NANS is busy conferring awards on corrupt governors. Somebody who rigged an election was also honoured.”
