Corruption is biggest challenge to Africa’s development – Minister

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said that corruption remains the biggest affront to Africa’s development and has called on Africans to confront the menace by supporting good leadership.

Mohammed made the call recently  at the Afe Babalola Hall of the University of Lagos, venue of Segun Adeleye Foundation for Good Leadership in Africa (SAFFGLIA) lecture, as guest speaker for the Lecture, “Setting Agenda for Good Leadership in Africa” which was chaired by Mr.  Wale Babalakin, Chairman Bi-Courtney represented by Molara Wood, Head Corporate Communication, Resort International.

The Minister represented by Mr Joe Bankole, Head, Lagos Operations of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), admonished Nigerians to give their total support to the initiatives of the Buhari administration as it fights corruption head-on, saying that corruption had become a scourge, which should be fully confronted

The minister identified corruption as the biggest challenges facing African development. He noted that the administration of President Mohammed Buhari is committed to fighting the menace in order to secure the future of the unborn generations.

He said:  “Leadership is about integrity and accountability and Nigerians has voted for President Buhari to change the face of leadership in Nigeria and transform the nation for the benefit of all, and Nigerians really need to give him time to enjoy the promised change,” Minister stated.

Bankole however described the birth of SAFFGLIA as the beginning of a new down for good leadership in Nigeria.  According to him the present administration is a representation of the values that the Foundation stands for, adding that the government is proud to associate with the foundation.

Mr Segun Adeleye, founder, Segun Adeleye Foundation for Good Leadership in Africa (SAFFGLIA), urged Nigerians to rise up and speak for good leadership in the country.

He spoke on a variety of issues affecting good leadership in Nigeria, such as the inability of citizens to air their views on leadership, corruption, western influences on culture, among others.

He however urged the citizens to appreciate education as a means of promoting native culture and dialects and a means that seeks to destroy the traditional institutions.

“Education, the advancement of knowledge, is at the initiative and pace of the foreigners on what Africa must learn and believe. Native languages have become secondary languages,” he said.

The three-in-one event also witnessed the launch of a book: So Long Too Long Nigeria, authored by Mr. Segun Adeleye.

While reviewing the book, Managing Director, Freedom Online, Mr. Gabriel Akinadewo cited the relevance of Segun Adeleye’s articles written seven to eight years ago on infrastructural decadence, corruption, government policies, unemployment etc. to present situations in the country.

While recommending the book to those in authority, government and corporate organizations, he noted that, “The fact that majority of issues captured in the book are testimonies of present realities in the country today shows that Nigeria has not changed over the years”.