By Daily Review Online
Nigeria can still be great despite the many problems and challenges that confront her today. The West Africa Regional Director for Ford Foundation, Dr. Chi-Chi Aniagolu-Okoye, who listed the major challenges as pervasive insecurity, increasing youth unemployment, declining economic performance, and relentless ethnic bigotry, maintained that Nigeria can still progress and attain more global relevance despite her present travails.
In her remarks as the special guest at the inaugural convening by The Think Tank for Sustainable Development (TTTSD), Dr. Aniagolu-Okoye, affirmed that Nigerians are a hopeful and resilient people, who are not easily cowed by their daunting socio-economic hindrances.
To Dr. Aniagolu-Okoye, there is much that is right with Nigeria, starting with the people, who have proved time and again that they are resilient and good at heart. In her words, “there are still many extremely dedicated Nigerians who wake up everyday thinking of how to make life better for others. Despite the continual wranglings in some sections, many people are fundamentally good-natured.”
The Ford Foundation Director observed that although there is much that is bad and undesirable, but because we are “little gods”, we can prevail and succeed in the end. She said that she spoke from her observatory that puts her in constant touch with practical local non-profit and community organisations, which are focused on bringing about positive social change.
She affirmed, “What gives me hope that Nigeria’s problems are not insurmountable are the many cases of exemplary decisive leadership at different levels of our society. There are thousands of points of light all across the country. Even a small candle can shed light that keeps darkness at bay. There is hope for Nigeria and our people.”
In his keynote address at the occasion, Dr. Sam Amadi, renowned lawyer and political analyst, had remarked that the three most endemic citizenship challenges of the moment are poor economic performance, a chaotic political environment, and the widespread erosion of societal values and ethical standards. In his view, the Nigerian situation is bleak and requires a radical transformation.
The webinar had its theme as, Nigeria Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Examining a Nation’s Trajectory