The Senior Pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Sam Adeyemi, proposed on Wednesday that Nigeria should reconsider the 2014 National Conference Report to develop a plan for the country’s future.
The expert in strategic leadership, who appeared on Wednesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program, emphasized the importance of Nigerians engaging in a dialogue about the nation’s future at this time.
“Nigerians need to take control now,” he made known during a live appearance on the program. “I know this is challenging but we actually don’t even have an option. Nigerians need to discuss the future of Nigeria now.”
“Interestingly when I speak to a northerner, the person in the South-West, all of us want the same thing; we want a developed Nigeria. Why are Nigerians shipping out, especially the younger generation? They are moving to countries where they can realise their potential. Let’s make Nigeria that country.”
The influential thinker expressed regret that a substantial amount of naira was allocated for the 2014 National Conference, yet the outcomes of the discussions were buried somewhere.
“The discussion needs to start with Nigerians; what kind of Nigeria do we want? We need to discuss it, ask people in leadership, in government to let us start from there. You don’t build a house from the roof, let’s discuss it.”
“I remember in 2014, we spend billions of naira having that discussion. The report is buried somewhere, we’ve not had the courage to discuss again. That’s where to start from. If you don’t agree on where you are going, any road will take you to where you are going and you should not complain when you find yourself in a jungle,” Adeyemi said.
Around a decade after then President Goodluck Jonathan and other leaders convened the conference to offer viable solutions for advancing the country, the remarks from the leadership coach have surfaced.
The national discourse commenced on March 17, 2014, with the late and esteemed Jurist, Justice Idris Kutigi (retired), serving as its chairman.
Approximately 494 Nigerians from diverse backgrounds participated in the conference for approximately five months. An estimated N10 billion was expended on this gathering, which yielded over 600 proposals, including ideas for the reconfiguration of Nigeria’s political, economic, social, and security systems to address agitations from various geopolitical regions and establish enduring peace.
However, the recommendations from the conference have remained unimplemented by successive administrations.