Following the comments credited to the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari during the just concluded Commonwealth Business Forum in the United Kingdom, The former Director of Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba who is also the Director of The Kenya School of Laws has revealed that Nigeria has a large chunk of the world’s most hard working men and women. The Kenya Legal Luminary and Anti Corruption Champion went further to advise the Nigerian President to swallow his pride and apologise to Nigerian youths bearing in mind that anyone can err at any given time.
Prof. Lumumba who was in Nigeria recently where he attended the African Women Summit for Peace and Development as guest speaker organized by the wives of Africa Presidents, insisted that the president’s comment no doubt dampened the spirit of many young Nigerians and therefore must find a way of re-engaging their confidence.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had recently in London at the Commonwealth Business Forum described Nigerian youths as ill-educated, lazy and in the habit of looking for freebies.
According to the president, Nigerian Youth just want to sit and do nothing, relying on the notion that Nigeria is an oil-rich nation.
“More than 60 per cent of the population is below 30, a lot of them haven’t been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria is an oil producing country, therefore, they should sit and do nothing and get housing, healthcare, education free,” the president has said to a room full of business and global leaders.
He was fiercely criticized at the time for the comment, with many saying it failed to convey the reality of Nigerian youth’s exploit. His statement recently elicited an outcry from youths in the country and several Nigerian Leaders who blamed the president for failing to recognize the ingenuity of the Nigerian youths and shirking his responsibility by providing decent healthcare, education and ensuring that jobs are created for teaming unemployed youths in the country.
2 comments