A professor at Medgar Evers College/City University of New York, Augustine Okereke, has warned that it may be difficult for the country to progress without strong institutions.
Okereke, who spoke in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital on Thursday, said that lack of strong (social) institutions in Nigeria is impeding sustainable development.
The don then appealed to President Bola Tinubu to encourage a system of strong institutions that can check corruption, among other social problems in the country.
The don spoke while presenting a lead paper at the maiden annual Ibadan social science conference held at the University of Ibadan.
The don, while addressing the gathering, added that “all our institutions are on the decline.”
He noted that without effective structures put in place, it will be difficult for Nigeria to achieve sustainable development.
He said, “African countries in particular face very huge challenges in meeting sustainability in every sector.
“Without these structures, African nations will continue to fail into poverty, underemployment and injustice.”
The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Professor Ezebunwa Nwokocha, stated that the University of Ibadan Social Science has deep intellectual, context-specific solutions to the challenges facing Nigeria.
Nwokocha, said that social science and humanities researchers have what it takes to assist the leadership of the country in navigating the problems confronting the country.
He said, “Our faculty is reputed for offering deeply intellectual, workable, and context-specific solutions to the challenges faced by Nigeria over the ages. Mr Chairman, we produced professors Ojetunji Aboyade, Akin Mabogunje, Peter P. Eke, Onigu Otite, and Dennis Ugwuegbu, among others.
“Their offspring are here and insisting through groundbreaking research that intellectual leadership is non-negotiable”.
It may be difficult for Nigeria to progress without strong institutions – US don