Nigeria@60: Only thing Nigerian politicians understand is how to grab, hold power – Poju Oyemade
The Senior Pastor of The Covenant Nation, Lagos, Pastor Poju Oyemade, has asked the Federal Government to invest in the nation’s education sector and the vocational training of Nigerians.
He made the call on Friday in Abuja during The Platform’s Independence Anniversary event, an annual programme that features professionals from different fields.
According to him, wealthy nations only focus on developing the skills of their citizens and those who are capable of doing things that only a few people on the earth can do.
Nations that have developed their citizens’ skills, he said, attract material capital with a special focus on the unseen while other countries focus on the seen.
“If we really know what the wealth is, then the first thing we will look at for in this country is our educational system,” he said.
“The second thing we will look out for is how much specialised vocational training is going to produce highly skilled people.”
Oyemade, citing a recent report, said some countries (including Nigeria) have governing policies that give a negative intangible capital.
He faulted Nigerian politicians who only understand the language of power and how to sustain it, decrying the level of corruption level in the country.
“The only two things politicians – who are the decision makers – understand is how do we get to power and the second language they understand is, ‘if we are in power, how do we hold unto it?’” Oyemade said.
“This is the language and voices that politicians who can change things understand. Once they understand that these are the ideas that will make them gain power, they will implement them. It has very little to do with compassion but with power.”
Pastor Oyemade, who is the convener of the Platform, was the keynote speaker at the event.
Others speakers included the Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Jumoke Oduwole; Lagos State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Samuel Egube; and a former Chairperson of the Democratic Party (US), Donna Brazile,
Chief Economist with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Professor Fred Oyewale; the Co-founder/CEO of Indicina – a FinTech infrastructure start-up focused on Africa, Yvonne Johnson; a writer and accountant, Feyi Fawehinmi, were also part of the programme.
