A Professor of History and International Studies at the Lagos State University, Adewunmi James Falode has stressed need for more financial resources in the education sector and domestication of the current federal structure of governance in Nigeria, in order to tackle the insecurity and economic challenges confronting the country
The Don who was delivering the 115th Inaugural lecture of the university, titled
Bespoke Solutions: Reimagining, Reifying and Realigning the Wheels Of the Nigerian State", identified education sector as most critical out of the three which listed to include democracy and federalism that must realigned and reified for the country to resolve the challenges facing it as a nation
Education according to him, is key to national integration and political development.
Prof.Falode cited the example of China and education was used to transformed to the country to a Super power among other nations in the world, saying Nigeria as a country can use education to develop well educated citizens capable of checkmating religious extremism or large-scale terrorist attacks in the country
"Madam Vice-Chancellor, education was key to Chinese social, economic and political development. I specifically picked China because it has a large Muslim minority – the Uyghurs – unknown to most people. Yet, we hardly ever hear of religious extremism or large-scale terrorist attacks in the country. Education made this possible. How? Education has allowed China craft a unified identity and a unified language – Mandarin – for its diverse ethnicities"
He said that qualitative education would ensure production of highly skilled workforce for the state which according to him, has been responsible for China’s domination of the world’s commanding heights.
Prof.Falode emphasized that the country must domesticate its education sector to realign with its economy, so as to reduce unemployment, promote unity and peace and spur development
" Nigeria must make universal primary and secondary education free. Sending children to school must be made compulsory up to the secondary level"
"This will allow the state to shape the students into responsible citizens that will contribute to the development of the state. Importantly, it will be difficult for religious and ethnic extremism to flourish in a society that has deployed adequate resources to combating ignorance through quality education", he maintained
The inaugural lecturer also called for domestication of the current federalism being practice in Nigeria
He described federalism as the most ideal wheel to govern a multi-ethnic country such as Nigeria, saying
countries such as. Switzerland, United Kingdom, have used the system to govern themselves effectively.
"The problem with Nigeria is that the leaders adopted textbook federalism hook, line and sinker. Nigeria must customise or domesticate its federalism if it hopes to correct the obvious fractures in the nation’s seams. And what form will this take", he stated
He explained that such domestication would engender competitive federalism among states who are independent of one another depend less on the government at the centre which is weak or decentralized centre with strong states
"What is needed is more innovative thinking to domesticate our federalism and make it work. Nigeria is a beautiful country, and I would want it to be kept the way it is"
"Additionally, fiscal federalism is an important sub-wheel that must be attached to the axle of the state. I’m glad President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is finally tackling that frontally with his 2025 Tax Reforms Bill. This will promote equitable and competitive distribution of revenue and allow states to think outside the box on revenue generation, deepen taxation and allow states to have funds for construction, maintenance and rehabilitation of public facilities.", he stated
On democracy, he suggested the need for domestication of democracy, recommending a single term of six or seven years for political office holders, describing the single term of four years or double terms of eight years as wasteful and not meaningful for economic growth of Nigeria
The Vice-Chancellor of the university Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) Prof Oseni Taiwo Afisi , chaired the inaugural lecture
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