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From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The leadership and followership in Nigeria have been told to be deliberate in sacrificing for the greater good of the country, with view to overcoming the socio-economic and political challenges besetting the nation.
The charge was given by the 2015 presidential candidate of KOWA Party, Prof (Mrs) Remi Sonaiya, at the Seventh Lasisi Lasupo Ali Annual/third memorial lecture, organised by the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Oyo State Branch, which held at the institution’s plaza, Ikolaba, Ibadan.
Present at the event were eminent Nigerians, traditional rulers, friends of the surveying profession and the children of the honoree, among whom are Chief Shina Ali and Doctor Abiodun Ali.
According to her, President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the Nigeria’s National Assembly should ensure that they join the train in sacrificing for the economic stability of the country, saying it is time to reduce the cost of governance.
Sonaiya, who chaired the programme, also berated the condition of Nigerian youths, who, she said, have been emigrating daily out of the country as a result of bad governance and what she called ineptitude of politicians, which has led to increased poverty in the land.
She said: “When somebody says ‘I recognize the pains that you are going through, I am calling on you to be patient’ and so on and so forth, but that person is not ready to sacrifice their own comfort, not ready to cut off some of their own excess.
“We still hear about them wanting to buy bulletproof vehicles, there was this scandal in the national assembly that money would be posted into members’ accounts for them to enjoy their holidays, do they think Nigerians are fools?
“If all of us are together in making sacrifices for a better Nigeria, people will see that and appreciate, when we see leaders leading in the right direction, we will recognize that, but we do not trust these ones because they are not leading in the right directions.
“Nigerians should speak out wherever they find themselves, wherever there is a platform that allows them to air their views, they should demand social justice, better governance, we are now demanding a reduction in the cost of governance which will entail reduction in the emoluments and salaries of Mr President and others at the top, all the big cars are not right for the current realities.”
Sonaiya, however, described the late L.L Ali as an engaging father of all while she was a young girl, as a friend of the Ali family, calling on young ones to emulate the spirit of honesty that the late surveyor embodied while alive.
The National President of NIS, who was also the special guest of honour at the event, Dr. Matthew Ibitoye, urged surveyors in Oyo State to keep up the task of shaping the environment, ensure proper utilisation of land resources, and contribute to sustainable development in the country.
He enjoined them to reflect on the rapid technological advancements that are reshaping the landscape of surveying and geospatial sciences and embrace skill enhancement and adapt to demands of the dynamic profession.
The Guest lecturer, Prof Ayobami Hammed, of the Department of Counseling and Human Development Studies, University of Ibadan, who was represented by Prof Adebayo Oluwole, spoke on the theme of the 2023 lecture: ‘Dynamics of Underdevelopment in Africa: Exit of Professionals to Advanced Nations’, opined that studies showed that 50 per cent of Nigerians surveyed would have cancelled their migration plans if Nigeria had met their specific conditions which include peaceful environment, better economic conditions, access to competitive and fairly-paid job opportunities and effective leadership.
He blamed politicians for the economic migration, social migration, political migration and environmental migration in Nigeria, painting a gloomy picture of the present situation in the country.
“The streets are desolate, people are hungry and angry in Nigeria, even the Niger Republic that the whole world was thinking was agitated with the fear of a looming war is now calm as diplomatic efforts are in place to settle the political impasse there.
“I support Professor Sonaiya to say politicians have made the land inhabitable for the youths, so young Nigerians have no choice than to emigrate, it is a pity we have trusted wrong, incompetent people to lead us,” he lamented.
The annual L.L Ali was instituted by the Oyo State NIS to honoir the late, iconic surveyor and the occasion always provide the opportunity to discuss national issues that affect the people of Nigeria.
