Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has reminded higher institutions in Nigeria that the purpose for their establishment was not only for education but for social, economic and political purposes.
Obasanjo, who was the Chairman of the 22nd convocation lecture of the Lagos State University titled ‘Role of Tertiary Education in Promoting Social Cohesion and Peace: Opportunities and Challenges for Nigeria said this at the Main Auditorium of the University.
He said Nigeria currently have 164 universities stressing that How, When, Why and When and What has been done to make the universities serve the purpose for which they were created.
According to him “if anybody tells you that you can have peace without justice, he/she is telling a lie, our universities have also stood for justice that is what led to the establishment of one Federal and State universities par state and I charge them to make their purpose straight forward”, he said.
The former president also said diversity is the order of the day adding that the problem Nigerians have about diversity is the management caused by nepotism, favouritism, dominated by tribalism and marginalisation.
” Why do we have disparity within communities and among communities, it is part of mismanagement of diversity”, he said.
Obasanjo said higher education is expected to produce leaders that will lead Nigeria towards the attainment of its manifest destiny saying if Nigeria continues with business as usual, the chance of being regarded in the comity of nations will be difficult and the world will leave the country behind.
He said ways to solve our problems are through leadership, governance, development and values within our culture.
“If as a leader you cannot give these four then no matter the level you have attained you should get out”, he said.
Governor of Lagos State, Akinwumi Ambode who was represented by his Special Adviser on Education, Mr Obafela Bank-Olemoh said one of the most important roles a university is expected to play is to provide solutions 44to problems confronting the society.
Ambode said the daily happenings in the country make the topic of the convocation lecture very apt at this crucial time adding that there can be no development without peace saying peace is both at the individual and collective levels.
The convocation lecturer, Prof Adamu Rasheed, the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC) said for Nigeria to unlock its potentials and take its rightful place in the comity of nations, the country must rise above all the parochial, sectional and retrogressive forces that have worked against its unity and nationhood.
The lecturer suggested that there is need for increased strategic Government funding of tertiary education institutions to support long term investment in research and development.
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