From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
A Professor of Marketing in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Joseph Uduji, has advocated for a responsible business Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) model for the country.
Championing the advocacy while delivering the University of Nigeria 199th Inaugural Lecture on the topic: “Corporate Social Responsibility in a Marketing Context: A Responsible Business CRS Pyramid for Nigeria,” Uduji who is the head, Department of Marketing, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, said that his contention for a responsible business CSR model for the country was among other things, that Nigeria’s conception of CSR is remarkably different from the Western version.
He said that the CSR initiatives in Nigeria should be aimed towards addressing the peculiarity of the socio-economic development challenges of the country such as poverty alleviation, healthcare provision, infrastructural development, education, among others.
Prof. Uduji whose scholarly outputs have made tremendous impact both in the local and global context said: “CSR initiatives in Nigeria should be guided by the socio-cultural influences of the country (security, inequality, charity and welfare needs).
“CSR in Nigeria should not necessarily reflect the popular Western standard/expectations of CSR (such as consumer protection, green marketing, climate change concerns, social responsible investments etc.”
Speaking to newsmen after the lecture, Uduji said: “The lecture is a burden we have to tell Nigerians that what they should be expecting from firms in the country should be the pattern of the CSR pyramid we have demonstrated today. The pyramid said that firms in designing their CSR model should look at the socio-economic condition of the country and be guided by the social cultural factors. Not just introducing what may not benefit or what people may not like, like green marketing and climate change, those ones should come later, but the basic ones because of the failures of the government to do certain things, that’s what we need. Even though outside the country is not PR to use those basic needs, to use philanthropy, but in Nigeria is very necessary.”
He disclosed that his future research directions would drive further towards social responsibility, social justice and inequality nexus, adding that “I firmly believe that CSR and development in Nigeria is about delivering real improvements in living conditions right across the society. My current research findings consistently show that widespread inequality is limiting both growth and poverty reduction across regions of Nigeria. These income disparities have remained persistently high over decades, leaving Nigeria as one of the world’s most unequal country, in terms of access to resources and opportunities between rural and urban residents, and between women and men.
“Therefore, my future research efforts would be dedicated to further search in this area of enquiry, in that women’s participation in economic, political and social development is being held back by unequal access to resources and opportunities and unacceptable levels of interpersonal violence in the country. This causes both direct harm to women and their children, and wider costs to Nigeria economies.
“My studies show that Nigeria owes its women and girls a better deal, and need targeted interventions to raise women’s economic status and to deter aggression. In addition, my future research direction will also be geared towards the young people, which is another group of Nigerians that has remained widely excluded from recent economic progress in the country. The lack of gainful employment for young Nigerians is one of the most critical policy challenges of the country. This needs to be addressed through measures that stimulate labour markets, while encouraging long-term declines in fertility. This area of enquiry is where my future research direction will focus.”
In his remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, UNEC, Prof Daniel Nwachukwu, applauded the scholarly achievement of Prof Uduji whose research, he said, had contributed tremendously to the scholar world.
He joined the inaugural lecturer to call on the companies, both national and international, to take the CRS to their host communities serious.
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