EXPERTS from across African countries on Monday converged on the campus of Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, for a two-day International Pan-African conference.
With the theme, ‘Challenges of Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa’, the conference had as keynote speaker the former Minister of Education and vice president of the World Bank, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, and Professor Charles Binam Bikoli, executive secretary, International Centre for Research and Documentation on African Traditions and Languages (CERDOTOLA).
In his opening remarks, the conference chairman and former vice president of Liberia, Joseph Boakai, said there are “no quick fixes and partial solutions” to the problems of Africa.
US-Iran tensions: What it could mean for Nigeria
“Almost all African states today are vulnerable, at varying degrees, to religious extremism and terrorism; natural disasters such as famine, hunger or floods and mudslides; outbreaks of deadly diseases, including Ebola as occurred in DRC, Liberia and Sierra Leone and HIV/AIDS as well as the emergence of new and resistant mutations of small pox, cholera, etc,” he said.
He also lamented the upsurge of extremist and terrorist groups in Nigeria, Mali and Central African Republic which he said has posed deadly threat to the populations in these countries.
He called on African nations to commit themselves to the canons of democracy: rule of law, free and fair elections, freedom of the press, and absolute protection of the basic rights of their citizens without favouritism.
Boakai while declaring the conference open also urged participants to “reflect soberly” and formulate practical solutions that will be the basis of a workable outcome document from the conference to be shared with all relevant stakeholders.
Keynote speaker, Dr Obi Ezekwesili, said the Africa continent must achieve economic growth, but more importantly it must achieve economic development.
She explained that the continent would have achieved economic development when the ‘growth’ translates to observable and measurable improvement in people’s lives, including higher life expectancy, stronger personal purchasing power, better healthcare and so on.
“Africa is not doing well by all indices of development, but Africa must do well,” she said.
She noted that Africa is plagued with inequalities, out-of-school children, slow economic growth, intractable poverty,while sub-Sahara Africahas the highest level of education exclusion.
Ezekwesili noted that out of the world’s 28 poorest countries, 23 are in Africa. She said it is strange that 56 per cent of the world’s arable land is in Africa, yet the continent has the highest number of stunted children.
Africa, she stressed, must address these issues. As a way forward, she said African governments must put in sound, evidence-based policies and the will to implement them as well as develop strong institutions anchored on the rule of law.
The vice chancellor of the Chrisland University, Professor Chinedum Peace Babalola, had in her address, intimated that the programme was put in place in collaboration with CEO-Africa, and that findings made from the various studies and contributions, through the gathering must not be allowed to end on the bookshelves.
“Our knowledge as academics ought not to be self-promoting alone but for the good of all” she said.