Nigeria is Underdeveloped Because of Lack of Good Governance: Bishop Kukah

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Nigeria, Rt. Rev. Mathew Kukah attributed the high rate of underdevelopment in Nigeria to lack of good governance. Kukah made this assertion yesterday while presenting a paper at the 1st Conference on “Peace and Development’’ organised by Veritas University Abuja.

He said that about 1.5 million Nigerians were on the streets of Northern Nigeria as Almajiris.

“Lack of good governance is what is causing lack of development in this country. How can we live in an environment that is so richly endowed and we are in this kind of situation, in Nigeria, recommendations have been made but no implementation”.

“While Nigeria is good at theorising and with all our educated elites and leaders we cannot work the talk. Up till today, we are still rolling out job creation plan, it is a shame, up till now we are still debating our constitution,” Kukah said.

He added that the environment is hostile with some items being on concurrent list and others on exclusive list, stating that there is the need for moral revolution in the country.

In his presentation, Prof. Albert Olawale of the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, congratulated Veritas University on its 10 years anniversary and for establishing a centre for Peace and Development in its institutions.

He stated that good governance would promote peace in the country. Thus, the security challenges are mounting and the country does not have adequate capacity to address it.

He said that security education in institutions is another means of ensuring peace in the country, adding that government must lend political will. He then called for more investment in security and education, saying that peace of a nation emanates from individuals that had decided to do the right thing not just the government.

“The education system in this country possesses knowledge and skills but no passion, if our leaders can be passionate, things will go well for Nigeria. It is not enough to establish institutions, it must be backed up by passion for it to be effective and actualise its set goal of peace”.

“Security education alone will not bring peace to Nigeria, but good governance will,” Olawale said. He added that inter-face dialogue should also be encouraged to promote peace in the country.