From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The President, Institute for Leadership and Development Communication (ILDC), Desmond Onyemechi Okocha, has prescribed innovation leadership and development communication as variables for unlocking the potentials to sustaining the country.
Speaking yesterday during the maiden induction, Fellowship and award ceremony of the Institute in Abuja, Okocha said that these two pillars were incontestable for the success of any people, society and nation, describing them as the core focus for achieving developmental goals.
Saying that the country has not fared well with achieving it Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, the ILDC head, stated that it was in the best interest of the Institute, stakeholders and government to mobilize, reinvigorate, initiate discourses, critique models and approaches to leadership and development communication with the intent of birthing cutting edge sustainable domestication solutions that meets the country’s and continent’s perculiar challenges.
He noted that since the end of African experience of slavery and colonialization, the continent has envisaged the rapid creation of a liberal continent filled with prosperity, escalated industrialization, maximized potentials and development but these are far fetched because of many negatives, but if the variables innovation leadership and development communication were applied, it will settle these problems.
He stated that, “debates have raged as to why and what are needed to turn the tide around and across the continent practitioners, scholars, researchers, policy makers and others do not seem to agree on how and what are needed to advance the inclusive and sustainable development of the country.
“We have not fared well with the SDGs, Africa is home to poverty with highest number of poor, unemployed, homeless, those who lack access to clean water, digital skills and infrastructure and a host of others cases. In fact around 460 Million people on the continent were living below the poverty line of 1.90 US Dollar a day in 2022.
“Yet in the midst of all these, there are two factors that have been unanimously agreed as essentials to unlocking the hidden treasures of the continent and its people.”
He said that the Institute has put it in fore front, to contribute to the development of the African continent and Nigeria using this two potentials mentioned as key drivers for sustainable development and growth, so as to better the life of citizens and harness with maximum, their potentials.
Also at the event, Keynote Speaker, Gabriel Tivlumun stated that development was not a solo activity saying that the Institute and stakeholders were striving hard to develop the country and continent for its betterment of its citizens and people.
Tivlumun pointed out that for development to be mobilized, internalized and to ensure that there is ownership at the grassroot as well as stakeholders that will champion the movement for development they must understand the cause of development is communication, which is a pillar that will enable maximized growth.
He also stated that policy makers, scholars, researchers and stakeholders fail to achieve the goal of development because they do not apply sustainable communication especially at the grassroot, also advising that the potentials of communication should be used as a powerful tool to drive home sustainable development G
goals for the country and the continent.
Meanwhile, receiving her award, Dr Moji Makonjuola, encouraged those in the media to continue to foster development in their daily endeavours saying that they were the ones to develop the country adding that, “we should believe in Nigeria and work together to build a better nation.”
At the event, Awards and Fellowship were given to those who have strived to develop the country and continent through development communication styles and innovative leadership qualities.