By DAUD OLATUNJI

A Senior lecturer at the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, Professor Aderemi Bidmos, has attributed the nation’s under-development to the misuse of intellect by Nigerians.

Bidmos stated this while delivering a lecture at the National Conference of the Nigerian Universities Education Students‘ Association (NUESA) held at Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

Bidmos, who spoke on the Security Challenges in Nigeria Tertiary Institutions, submitted that misuse of intellect has led to the impoverishment of Nigerians, adding that corruption and its attendant trouble of insecurity are direct consequences of misuse of intellect by individuals in the country.

“If, for example Nigerians are poor, it is due to misuse of intellect. We have the capacity to produce every single item imported into this country. The crude oil that is sold to the West as one single item, is processed and sold back to Nigerians in more than 20 items.

“Nigerians have no business with poverty if they can make use of their intellect in managing the natural resources gracefully deposited in their soil.”

On maintaining peace on campuses, the don urged students to guard against the culture of serving as agents of money bags who recruit and finance trouble shooters on campus. “As students, your numerical strength is a unique asset that you must not waste. If you genuinely desire peace on your campuses, you should not demand it from anyone. You make it happen.”

Earlier in his remarks, Mr. Idowu Joseph, NUESA national president said the conference was organised to highlight the need for peace in the nation’s tertiary institutions.