By Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab
Amid leadership gap in Kogi state, an independent online publication, The Nigerian Post, has held this year’s annual lecture series to mark the 32nd anniversary of the state creation.
This year’s event which took palace at Edge Drive Hotel, Lokoja, with the theme, “Sustaining Unity, Peace of the Confluence”, This House must not Fall,” focused on political Leadership, gains of democracy and the challenges of governance in Kogi state and Nigeria as a Country.
Elder statesmen in the state also called for the unity of the various ethnic groups to build a United, peaceful and prosperous state where citizens right to social and economic well-being are given priority by the stakeholders in governance at various levels.
The speakers at the event also stressed the need for political cohesion of the state whereby the component units of the state have sense of belonging in spite of its ethno-religious diversities to preserve the fragile unity of the Confluence state.
Participants drawn from all segments of the state also called for redefinition of leadership especially at the family level since according to them, there is leadership gap in the state.
The guest speaker Proff. Olayemi Akinwumi, Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja, spoke on the need for ‘ social re-engineering’ at the family level to instill moral values in children with sound moral and educational development of children since according to him, governance starts at the family level. Hence, the need for parents to train their children to be refined Politicians that can provide high quality leadership that will improve the quality of life of citizens.
In is remark, Governor Yahaya Bello who was represented by the state Account General, Alhaji Jibrin Momoh said as part of efforts by his administration to provide citizens access to education, the year 2023 budgetary allocation to education sector has been increased to 30 per cent, higher than the 26 Per cent benchmark set by the UNESCO.
He said his administration has built and equipped new schools across the state, citing the establishment of the state Confluence University of Science and Technology at Osara and remodeling of science schools as major improvements in educational development of the state.
Chairman of the event, the Gabi of Lokoja, Hon. Sulaiman Baba Ali, urged citizens and actors in the political process to play collective role in the transformation of the state and Nigeria.
He said the fight against insurgency bedeviling the Country would be won if the citizens support governments with the right attitude to issues of national security.
In a remark, the Editor-in-chief of Nigerian Post, organizers of the event, Mr. Abu Michael, said the news outlet carefully selected some public officers with remarkable imprints in Governance for recognition and honour in appreciation of their distinguished records of service to the state and citizenry in order to serve as motivation to higher performance in the governance process in the state.
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