Of oluseye Eye, ibadan
He The 2023 general election will present a new opportunity for Nigeria to get things right for a better future, regardless of the socio-economic and political challenges that stand in the way of the country’s corporate existence and progress.
This is in a statement issued by eminent Nigerians from all walks of life after the inaugural public lecture, titled: “The Economy and the 2023 Elections”, organized by a group known as the Friends of Yemi Farounbi Platform, in honor of the Former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines Yemi Farounbi at the Press Centre, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Iyaganku Quarters, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The statement was read by a former Nigerian ambassador to Australia, Ayo Olukanni, on the show, chaired by a former general manager of Oyo State Broadcasting Service (BCOS), Bisi Adesola.
According to the statement, there is a need for Nigerians to pay attention to the political process and the importance of high-quality representation in the leadership recruitment process.
“It is necessary to draw attention to the link between election and economy. If you don’t get it right in politics, you won’t get anything right in terms of economics.
“Then, attention must of course be paid to the issues of virtue, transparency and the fight against corruption. There must be committed leadership. People who want to be part of the process must have a vision. They should not be accidental leaders.
“We need to pay attention to the whole thing, especially the upcoming general election, which represents another chance for Nigeria to get it right. Implicitly, there must be transparency regarding the election itself.
“The whole question of resolving the crisis and the question of hope for Nigeria, especially in the context of the cynicism and the long crisis that we have had. The answer is that there is hope for Nigeria. But we must do it right. Of course, to get it right, attention must be paid to the question of our federation, under which the respective states can control their resources. It is one of the problems that is stirring people’s minds.”
The statement also stated that the people in Nigeria should become an asset and not a liability, adding that journalists should scale up and serve as watchdogs for society and set a proper agenda on what needs to be done in Nigeria.
The honoree, Farounbi, in his speech on the occasion, was optimistic that “it is possible to have a better future in Nigeria…not by reveling in nostalgic sentiments, or identifying with the clothes, glasses, caps of yesterday’s men. We can only predict the future by inventing.”
