Democracy has not brought development to Nigeria – Prof. Olukotun
* If lives are not secured, our efforts are useless – Awujale
In an organized public lecture held on Thursday in honour of His Royal Majesty, Oba. S.K. Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland’s 84th birthday, by Professor Ganiyu Olatunde-led administration, who is also a guest. The event was also graced by other distinguished members of the administration.
Prof. Ayodele Olukotun delivered his well grounded lecture on the “Civil Society and Governance in the Nigerian’s Evolving Democracy between 1999-2018”. He ascertained that government has neglected its role, focusing on mundane things. The public institutions and civil society are underfunded, uncattered for, and these can only be achieved by good governance.
He asserted, describing civil society as organization which cannot but should speak to the anguish and woes of impoverished citizenry in a country where the political class has gone “paga” with stupendous cornering of the nation’s resources.
“Governance is mirred in ethic democracy, creating political regime that has nurtured unacountability, rule of law, human rights, and other qualities of good governance
It is a thing of great surprise that each Nigerian Senator takes home N13 million monthly as overheads, is this not an issue for civil society attention irrespective of political parties?”
Olukotun further stressed that building bridges, facilitating consensus and national remedies must be the watchwords of a civil society that is keen on registering its presence on the nation’ state.
The celebrant, Oba S.K. Adetona in his goodwill message lamented on ongoing killings rocking the entire country as he urged the Federal Government to take absolute look into the matter before it gets worst
He said, “I am appealing to the Federal Government of Nigeria on the killings across the country, saying it’s a primary function of the government to protect the lives of the people. If the lives are not secured, our efforts are useless it’s my hope that government will listen to the voice of Nigerians”.
We have no taperule to measure the ambit of government of democracy. During the civilian government, the country was peaceful, the traditional rulers were in charge of the arms of government. When the politicians took over, things changed”, Adetona said.
The Ogun State deputy governor, Chief Yetunde Onanuga, who represented the incumbent Governor of the State, Governor Ibikunle Amosun at the gathering acclaimed that the institution of the professorial chair has further consolidated the position of the university in the midst of its peers in the country, and has also helped in contributing to the entrenchment of good governance in Nigeria, while also coming up with solutions to issues bothering on our nascent democracy and thereby contributing positively to the academic research in the institution.
Describing civil society as a creation of new frontiers for Nigerians to follow in the coming years, with particular reference to the enthronement of good governance, that the administration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun will continue to place education at all levels on the front burner as more attention is further given to the significance of education in the drive to develop the human capital.
She added, appealing to all indigenes of Ogun State and the corporate world by taking a cue from the noble to enhance the educational sector of the State and the future of the young once.
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