By Gbenga Sodeinde
The Vice Chancellor of the Ekiti State University, Prof. Edward Olanipekun, has said Nigerians should blame themselves individually for the current economic situations in the country.
He explained that if Nigeria must be great, if economy must improve, and the society must be better, every individual in the society has greater roles to play, saying” everything begins with me and you, we can not continue to say it doesn’t concern me”
The Vice Chancellor said until the religious leaders and individuals could take up the challenge by asking leaders questions from anyone who donates above their income in ceremonies, then the society will be better for it.
The Vice Chancellor who spoke in the University auditorium in his response after Professor of Gender and Rural development, Grace Module Adebo, had just finished delivering the 74th inaugural lecture at the University, titled: de- escalating Grassroots Gender Poverty: Imperatives for Sustainable Rural Development Agenda in Nigeria.
Specifically, Professor Olanipekun frowned at what he described as promotion of immoral and fraud in the society, a situation where those who joined to corner the country’s’ wealth and fortunes one way or the other and others who colluded to ruin the countries’ wealth and have benefited from the fuel subsidy are the ones that have caused all the current hardship.
He added that unfortunately, these are the categories of people that will be going to our churches and mosques squadaring money and people will be hailing them and clapping for them because they have donated money from their ill-gotten wealth
Olanipekun said, “I want to believe that there wouldn’t have been a better time than this one for us to listen to this inaugural lecture, eloquently delivered by my friend and sister.
“I’m actually fascinated by the title but the question now is poverty only related to the grassroots. Those days we used to have high class, middle class, lower class. There is nothing like that again. It’s either you are rich or you are poor
“You and I should be blamed for whatever that is happening to us in Nigeria now. How many of us ask questions, even in our community here when you see somebody who is leaving above his means. There is no way poverty won’t be escalating.
“When I heard about it (Association of Mothers of Yahoo Boys) it was nauseating. Even some of us lecturers encourage these guys to go into ungodly things in a society like Nigeria !
“When Scammers now flourish more in the society and these people are now seen by upcoming young people as their role models, because we praise them in the society, society hail them, they hail them in churches and mosques because they make big donations. Until we begin to ask questions from anyone who lives more above his daily or monthly income, where did you get the money?
“When I go to classes, I ask questions of who are the owners of these exotic cars. I have impounded some vehicles. In sometime few occasions I have invited their parents and they should tell me whether they bought these cars for them.
“I am a Christian and I believe strongly in the ability of prayers but what I know the world would not come down and come and rescue us from our present predicament. It has to be you and I.
“The culture of impunity is what we should discourage. The only way we can de-escalate hunger, poverty, starvation begin with you and I. That’s the bitter truth”. He stated.
Photos from the event:
