Fred Ezeh and Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
Nigerians have been charged to stop their mass exodus to and admiration of developed countries when they have all that it takes to address the country’s developmental challenges, the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, has said.
Bogoro insisted that there are no greener pastures across the border for anyone whose country is not properly positioned in terms of development.
The TETFund Executive Secretary, speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2nd international Conference of Social Science (ICOSS), with the theme “African and its Diaspora: Opportunities, Challenges and the Future”, held at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Abuja, said that Africa has the potential to rule the world if it can develop the capacity of its citizens.
He stated that universities have a huge responsibility to drive the socioeconomic and manpower development needs of the continent.
“We cannot continue to admire other nations. Rather, we must address the challenges at home through wisdom, hard work and determination, and not promoting unnecessary rivalry,” Bogoro said in his speech.
“Nobody will develop Africa for us. If we love our country and continent, there are many things we can do to turn around its socioeconomic destiny.
“If your home is not clear for the greener pastures then there is no greener pastures across the border for you.”
NOUN Vice Chancellor Abdalla Uba Adamu explained in his welcome remarks, that the conference was organised to discuss several issues that would enhance economic development of Africa.
Adamu challenged participants to discuss and leverage on practical applicability of potential, knowledge, skills and experiences of Africans in the Diaspora to develop the African continent.
President, Morgan State university, Baltimore, David Wilson, in his keynote address called on Africans to unite strongly and reclaim all that it has lost over the years.