‘We are in a nation building phase as a country. Honestly, we will experience falls, starts, and stops.Nation Building is not a straight line. Each time we stumble, we must learn from the reasons behind our setbacks. Just like a child learning to walk, when he Falk’s, he looks around to see if anyone is watching and then gets back up’
‘One of the challenges we face is that we are not reflective enough when we encounter difficulties as a nation. We fail to ask why we stumble and why have not gotten it right.’
Much of the narrative surrounding our journey seems to focus on individuals. I listened to the President of the African Development Bank,Dr Akin Adeshina,during his Guardian Lecture, and he was quite clear: the world cannot take us seriously if we continue down our current path. He urged Nigerian leaders to act differently for the world to regard them seriously and for progress to be made.
‘In my observations of our starts and stops, falls and rises, it is evident to me that there are critical learning points.One clear lesson is that our values must shape human progress. No country can advance where anything goes ;without values that command respect, we will struggle.’
As it stands today, this is a country of scammers, where politicians act like rogues, using resources meant for the common good for their personal gain. These are the narratives of Nigeria, and serious individuals are reluctant to engage in trade with such people. As a result, the potential benefits of trade are lost- Professor Pat Utomi.
Excerpt From interview with Biodun Busari (Credit:PUNCH)
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