Former VC tasks youths on nation building

Former Vice-Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof. Bamitale Omole, has said for Nigerian youths to become relevant in nation building and national development, there was the need for them to positively change their orientation and values. This, he said, was necessary so that they can not only be mentally and politically conscious but also well positioned intellectually to critically analyse, question, dissect and put in proper perspectives, discourse on national issues. He disclosed this while delivering a lecture titled ‘Where Have the Youths Gone? at the Founder’s Day and matriculation ceremony of Caleb University, Lagos, on Monday. According to him, “as a result of the intellectual lethargy, indifference and ignorance of our present day youths, many of them have unfortunately, allowed themselves to be used as agents of destruction and catalyst of national distingregration, thereby stalling the process and rebirth of a great new nation of our dreams.” Prof. Omole added that it is clear that when youths through the instrumentality of good quality education, inculcation of good value orientation and global exposure become conscious, intellectually critical and discerning with a vision and roadmap for their tomorrow, it will become easier for the youths to know the difference between nation building, national development, destructive political cleavages and selfish interests of the political elites who use them for their selfish political ends. He, however, said for the Nigerian youth to be veritable building blocks that a new nation can stand upon, they themselves must abstain from criminal despicable activities. “After all, it is said that whoever wants to come to equity, must come with clean hands. “Our youths should always be conscious of the fact that whatever they do or refuse to do today, will have a great impact in shaping their destiny and that of the nation. “It is therefore the responsibility of the youth to ask questions because their ability or inability to hold the leaders accountable will determine the realisation or death of their generational missions and dreams,” he said. To this extent, Omole said youth should use their education, exposure and energy in ensuring that leadership of the country is made accountable and transparent in the way the country is run. Speaking on how the nation can achieve quality education, the don disclosed that the demand of the 21st century for any nation is creativity and integration of knowledge and research at a global level. This he said is because rapid social changes are creating uncertainty and complexity in the society. “However to prepare the Nigerian youths to cope with this challenges and development, they need quality education that offers analytical and critical thinking, skills and entrepreneurship attitude that will make them more flexible, innovative and adaptable to the demand of knowledge economy of the 21st century.” This he however said has implication for policy making by the ruling elites, “First, there is is the urgent need to rethink the whole concept of formal education in Nigeria. Secondly, for Nigerian youths to be useful and relevant as a agent of nation building, our stuffy, obsolete and totally antiquated curricular need to be redesigned and updated to meet rapidly changing innovations at the global level. Thirdly, the method of pedagogy and our textbooks should be in sync with international standards for the potentials of our youths to be harnessed for global competition.” He also added that it is also important for the policy makers to encourage and provide necessary incentives to private individuals who are desirous of equipping youths with sound moral, good values and quality education so that they can live up to their potentials and become corner stone in nation-building. On nation building and national development, Prof. Omole said if the nation truly wants to develop, it should henceforth without delay tap into the ready poll of well educated, energetic, brilliant, innovative and creative Nigerian youths for its accelerated development in an age of unrelenting innovations at the global level. In his speech, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Nosa Owens-Ibie said the university has evolved since those days of small beginnings and has emerged the place to be and the destination for those desirous to invest in character and academic excellence. He added that it has been steady progress as enrolment has moved from 153 in 2009/2010 when the university opens its doors for students to 2,634 in 2018/2019. Congratulating the new students, he enjoined them to resolve from the day of their matriculation into the institution to be different as this will go a long way to help them achieve excellence in their academics. While thanking parents for believing in the institution, Prof. Owens-Ibie urged them to continue to support the university as they march forward and onward. A total of 850 new undergraduates and 211 new postgraduate students matriculated at the event. Esther Taiwo