Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigeria to learn from the development experiences of Singapore, South Korea and India, particularly in industrialisation, technological advancement, education and human capital development.
Jonathan said the progress recorded by the countries demonstrated what purposeful leadership, strategic planning and sustained investment in human capital could achieve.
He spoke on Saturday as chairman of the maiden Herbert Macaulay Colloquium, organised by the Macaulay Heritage Foundation in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos.
The former president identified economic reform, democratic reform, improved political leadership recruitment and functional education as four critical areas Nigeria must address to achieve sustainable development.
On democracy, Jonathan called for a system anchored on popular participation, the rule of law, respect for human rights, judicial independence, accountability, pluralism and a vibrant civil society.
He described Nigeria’s current democratic practice as opaque and lacking a clear definition, stressing that the country could not make meaningful progress without strengthening democratic institutions and accountability.
Jonathan also expressed concern over the growing influence of religion and other primordial considerations in the selection of political leaders, urging Nigerians to prioritise competence, integrity and the ability to deliver.
He said the country must abandon what he described as primitive approaches to political recruitment and embrace a system that placed merit and capacity above other considerations.
On education, the former president called for a clearly defined national vision that would reposition universities as centres of research, technological advancement, innovation and knowledge production.
He lamented that Nigerian universities had yet to attain the level of global competitiveness required to drive the country’s industrial and technological development.
Citing Singapore, South Korea and India, Jonathan said their deliberate investment in science and technology education had helped build the skilled workforce needed to transform their economies.
He recalled that India began establishing its Indian Institutes of Technology shortly after independence, noting that the initiative helped produce professionals who later became influential in the global technology industry.
The former president advocated the establishment of research-intensive universities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, with deliberate investment in science, technology, engineering and innovation.
He disclosed that his administration had initiated a programme to identify outstanding graduates in science and technology and sponsor them for postgraduate studies at leading universities abroad.
He, however, regretted that the initiative was discontinued after he left office.
Jonathan further urged successive governments to develop long-term national development plans with clearly defined objectives, measurable targets, timelines and responsibilities.
He said Nigeria’s future should not be left to political rhetoric but guided by consistent policies and deliberate implementation strategies that would transcend successive administrations.
The former president also challenged young Nigerians to sustain the nationalist struggle through innovation, enterprise, civic participation and responsible citizenship.
Tribune
