The All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has said that the younger generation needs to be taught as never before done in terms of the scope and quality of the education they receive, to revive the nation.
He, however, cautioned, “that education cannot be of the esoteric type that is only beauty in the abstract but devoid of practical value in our quest to build and develop the very foundations of a new political economy for this nation.”
He gave these disclosures Saturday night at the dinner/award ceremony organised by the Ahmadu Bello University Alumni Association.
According to him, to discard learning is to walk into the fog of stagnation and poverty, adding that the part may be hard but the choice is clear and laden with promises.
Tinubu said: “Mastering the art of learning and education is the difficult task nations undertake when they commit themselves to progress. Barebones survival is all a nation can achieve when it disregards this principle. To esteem learning is to follow the gleaming light to prosperity.
“Let us honour and fulfil the challenge before us. Let us use the knowledge and experience that ABU and other fine schools have given us to innovate and create new ways to learn new things that will accelerate the development of this nation such that will bring forth an era of prosperity and hope from the challenges that now face us.”
The Jagaban Borgu said Nigeria was struggling mightily to give birth to its better self.
He noted that the process, though difficult, if undertaken, would lead the country to good fortunes.
Tinubu explained that the current challenges demanded that the country changed from dependent on oil or fall by the wayside, adding that there is no third option, no middle ground for Nigeria.
“Our nation struggles mightily to give birth to its better self. This is a difficult but necessary process that we must undertake if we are to find our true way and reach the good destiny that God has written for us.
“The old model of an oil dependant political economy has shattered before our very eyes. To feign blindness and act as if nothing has changed is to insist on failure that will mortgage both our present and future.
“Nigeria, our beloved Nigeria, is being called forth to define itself. Do we remain as we are or do we dare believe ourselves capable of something better, something more fecund and sublime?
“That which we decide shall shape not only our lives but will reverberate across the boundaries of space and time. What we decide shall affect the future of this nation for years to come. Just at it will influence the trajectory of brethren African nations and the entire race of Black people. Our ancestors, they now watch hoping we do that which is right. Our descendants too watch praying the same thing.”
Earlier, Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, said that the demand for higher education was on the increase.
Malam el-Rufai, who was represented by his Deputy, Barnabas Bala Bantex, called for increased capital development in the country to build Nigeria’s economy.
“We need human capital development for socio- economic growth of Nigeria,” he said.
The late President of Nigeria, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, received a post humous grand premier award. Other awardees included former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar (premier award), Hajiya Aisha Buhari, (Grand patron Award), Former Defence Minister Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (Humanitarian Award), former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega (Career Service Award), among others.
