A former Kenyan Minister, Ralia Odinaga, on Wednesday, commended ex-president Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat in the 2015 presidential election in Nigeria, stating that he is the renewed hope for democracy in Africa.
He stated that it was common for African leaders who lost an election to result to violence and many other negative activities which usually caused ethnic violence, but Jonathan changed that era by conceding defeat as an incumbent.
He said this at the 2016 Zik Lecture Series at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State.
Odinga, who spoke as a guest lecturer on the topic, “The crises of nation states in Africa,” noted that the bane of the African continent were dictatorship, corruption and ethnicity.
“Ethnicity is the disease of the elite. They are the people who would always fan the embers of ethnicity and divisive tendencies whenever they lose their selfish interest,” he said.
He also described the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as a foremost Pan-Africanist, adding that Azikiwe’s pioneering role in the liberation of the African continent was unprecedented.
The former Vice President of Nigeria, who was the chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in his remarks described the late Azikiwe as “the greatest Igbo man to come out of Nigeria.”
He commended Senator Ben Obi for endowing the Zik Annual Lecture Series chair and called for more of such endowments.
Atiku also noted that the importance of education was a priority to the nation, hence the reason structures and facilities were being put in place to improve educational standards in Nigeria.
He further suggested that primary and secondary education in the country be made free and compulsory, to enable everyone benefit from Academic values, which cannot be replaced.
“The importance of education to modern societies and their people cannot be overemphasised. Education is too important to be left in the hands of government alone. Education should not depend solely on the ebbs and flows of government revenues.
“It is education that took me from a small village in Adamawa State to the position that I attained today and helped me to make the modest contribution that I have made so far to our country and humanity. And every Nigerian child should have similar opportunities to reach his or her full potential.
“I could not have gone to school if my parents were required to pay for it. That and the importance of education to nation building is the reason why I strongly believe that primary and secondary education should be free and compulsory in our country and indeed across Africa,” the former Vice President stated.
In his speech, the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, represented by his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, called for creation of great institutions in the country that would have perpetual succession.
The ex-Kenyan Minister also applauded the efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari in the ongoing fight against corruption and restoration of dignity to the nation.