Nigeria needs genuine dialogues on good governance for economic prosperity, says ex-President of Tomor-Leste

Published by

3 years ago

Nobel peace laureate and former President of Timor-Leste, Southeast Asia, José Ramos-Horta, has asked Nigerians across ethnic and political divides to engage in sustainable dialogues for mutual and progressive compromises in the interest of the country, saying that is a way to usher in good governance in Nigeria.

He gave this charge on Tuesday at a book presentation and seminar held at Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Ramos-Horta spoke virtually as a chairman on the occasion.

He said he is familiar with Nigeria as he was, at a period in Guinea-Bissau, worked closely as a United Nations’ envoy with the author of the book and now Head of Departments of Political Science and International Relations at Chrisland University, Prof Babafemi Badejo and also visited former President Goodluck Jonathan on UN assignment when he was in office.

Making reference to some excerpts in the four-chapter book, titled: “Nigerians Views on National Turmoil: A situational quadruple nexus analysis,” the Nobel laureate said the book rightly pointed out what Nigeria and its people could do to take the country to an enviable position in the comity of prosperous countries.

He explained that truly Nigeria could, for example, maximise its significant progress in selected economic sectors like creative and tech industries to build on some major wins, stressing that Nigeria is rich in human and material resources and therefore has all it takes to achieve significant progress and development.

While acknowledging the fact that every country is faced with one challenge or the other in their journeys of nation-building and development, he said to progress appreciably as stipulated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 as a country and its people and also considering the views of many Nigerians in the new book, would require that Nigerians should listen more to each other- particularly the marginalized, the poor, the young people and women and sustained the dialogues.

IN CASE YOU MISSED THESE FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

So, Nigerians, he stressed, must have to cooperatively work together for the success of governance as a collective action between the few at the forefront and the rest of the stakeholders, who are the followers.

Ramos-Horta, however, commended the author of the book, saying he is strongly believed that the book would serve its essence which is to enrich people’s knowledge for the genuine development of Nigeria and beyond.

In her own remark at the event, the vice-chancellor of Chrisland University, Prof Chinedum Peace Babalola, said she had carefully read through the books and was happy that the author also brought people together to discuss the book and share knowledge.

She commended the author on the effort and also the chairman on the occasion, particularly for squeezing out time from his tight schedules to honour the invitation.

In his remark, the author of the book, who is also the first Professor of Chrisland University, Babafemi Badejo, stressed that Nigerians need to strive towards the attainment of true and ideal freedom that could guarantee quality life.

He said in his own understanding, there has never been a true democracy in independent Nigeria except before then in the western region headed by Chief Obafemi Awolowo when the majority of people enjoyed governance.

According to him, the mere periodic electoral voting that has continued to destabilise the polity, resulting in deaths and serving the interests of only a few contradicts the tenet of a true democracy which is government for the people.

He said he wrote the book out of his deep knowledge about Nigeria and its people, family life and work experience, among others.

He said the essence was to enrich peoples’ knowledge to provide solutions to some of the problems that have been slowing down Nigeria genuine progress.