An American don, Prof Robert Rotberg, has advised Nigerians to continue looking for a selfless leader who will put country before self, provide national cohesion and avoid sectionalism as being exhibited by the present government led by President Muhammadu Buhari if Nigeria is to sustain the projected population explosion that would occur in the country by 2050.
Speaking at the One Nigeria Summit held at the Radcliffe Institute of Advanced Studies, Harvard University in the United States, Rotberg who is a professor in governance and foreign affairs, said the “population explosion should compel all Nigerians of all tribes particularly its leaders to focus on what is important for the Nigeria union and strengthen it instead of talking about separatism.”
Emmanuel Asiwe, publisher of huhuonline.com, organized the summit.
Rotberg who was the director of the Programme on Intrastate Conflict, Conflict Prevention, and Conflict Resolution at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and directed the establishment of the Index for African Governance, to help evaluate leaders for the Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, enumerated some of the challenges Nigeria will face due to the population explosion should it fail to plan effectively.
“There will be a youth surge with the median age of 28 and this will continue till 2080 or 2090. Many more youths will be unemployed which will lead to escalating crime rate. Nigeria have not been food sufficient in the last 40 years and the food shortage situation will be alarming and if you think you have seen traffic congestion, just think ahead a couple of decades,” he said.
In its 2017 World Population Prospects published in June this year, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs postulated that the current world population of 7.6 billion is expected to reach 8.6 billion in 2030, 9.8 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion in 2100.
A rough estimate of 83 million people are expected to be added to the world’s population every year with Nigeria being the most rapidly growing country among the 10 largest countries worldwide.
The report projected the population of Nigeria which currently the world’s 7th largest, is projected to surpass that of the United States and become the third largest country in the world shortly before 2050.
The Don advised that instead of groups for separatism, there should be yearning for responsible and committed leadership which is absolutely essential for moving the country forward.
“The Biafra excuse need not be repeated. Many groups and sections in Nigeria are clearly being discriminated against for decades and there has been continued disparities but I would advise that there should be a demand for strengthened national leadership,” he said.
He blamed the political class for the decay in the leadership system at the national level saying that Nigerians are yet to find a leader who would initiate responsible and exemplary leadership in the country.
“I stood here three years ago and urged for the replacement of President Jonathan in order to get a president who could work for all Nigerians and not for himself and his cronies and the elites.
President Buhari was at some point assumed to be a better replacement, someone who could work for all Nigerians and not himself, his friends and his cronies, but today I think Nigerians in diaspora and at home are still looking for that kind of leader. Someone who can put nation before person; put betterment of all before personal enrichment and truly understands and continues to provide selfless leadership and not a sectional leader.”
No comments:
Post a Comment