By Opeyemi Gbemiro
Nigeria’s future hinges on developing leaders with strong character, integrity, and vision, Prof. Segun Joshua, an academic scholar has said.
Joshua, of the Department of Political Science at the Federal University (FUL) in Lokoja, Kogi said this in a lecture he delivered at the 36th inaugural lecture of the university on Thursday in Lokoja.
The title of the lecture, titled: “The voice of Jacob but the hands of Esau: unmasking the masquerade behind conflict and insecurity” was delivered at the University auditorium with academics, students, policy makers, traditional and religious leaders in attendance.
Joshua linked good governance and national development directly to ethical leadership and citizens making informed choices, focusing on selfless service and building a culture of accountability over self-interest.
He said:”the beautiful ones are already among us. I do not believe that the beautiful ones are yet to be born in the Nigerian context of politics as asserted by a novelist Ayi kwei Armeh.that the beautiful ones are not yet born.
“Nigerians need to cultivate and nurture the people already born, mould their character, channel their orientation towards good virtues of selfless leadership”.
The don said he also believed that God is the ultimate personality in our lives but the decisions of our political leaders goes a long way to sharpen our collective destiny as a nation.
He said that, the problem of conflict, insecurity and many other problems faced by Nigeria can only be solved through the “instrumentality of politics”.
He noted that the undesirable characterization of Nigeria, for instance in recent times by American President Donald Trump as a country of particular concern is not unconnected with the carnage associated with conflict and insecurity in the country that has taken a religious twist.
“Hence the urgent need to cultivate, culture and inculcate in the young ones and upcoming generation, the good leadership attributes so as to have a beautiful tomorrow.
Earlier in his remark, the Vice Chancellor of the Institution, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi said one of his clear mission when he assumed office was to strengthen the noble academic inaugural lectures.
He expressed happiness that he will be leaving behind a strengthened tradition that the next VC will sustain and build upon.
Akinwumi stressed that Joshua’s topic was not only striking and captivating but profoundly relevant to the realities confronting our nation and appreciated him for choosing a theme that Nigeria urgently needs at the moment.
“It is a topic that goes beyond knowledge production. We must ensure that our research informs policy, strengthen communities and contributes to national development through evidence based studies, community engagements, peace building initiative.
”We remain committed to bridging the gap between town and gown because knowledge must serve the people for whom it is produced,” Akinwumi said.
Akinwumi appreciated the Inaugural lecture committee and everyone one in the audience for honoring the lecture with their presence and he encouraged everyone to join in the collective task of restoring peace and unmasking the hidden hands behind conflict and insecurity in Nigeria.
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