Question expatriates handling of our industries

By Elizabeth Uwandu

ONE of the fallout of corruption and bad leadership is the lost in faith of a nation’s education system couple with it’s output, the graduates.

The topic, “ Contemporary Africa’s political and development challenges,”   formed the theme of the first symposium of University of Lagos, UNILAG   2017/2017 Masters students of Diplomatic and Strategic Studies, otherwise known as the Think Tank Group, where questions of the   allege failure in political and economic spheres of Africa countries who passed through colonialism were discoursed.

According to Gerald Nwokocha, convener of the symposium that had Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi as keynote speaker among other guests, the event was to question why Africa and indeed Nigeria still grapple on issues of;   bad leadership, corruption, human rights abuses and unemployment etc; and also deliberate ways for improvement.

Graduates

His words, “ As aspiring diplomats, the Think Tank group is saddened by the deplorable state of several African political systems, which has deeply affected their capacities to compete in the comity of nations. Several bodies tag African states as weak, failing and failed states, inconsistent, corrupt, conflict-prone with leadership crises, and ill-equipped for global politics.

“Africa should realize that the world is not bothered about her. The world is only bothered about Africa when they want to take resources from her. What does Africa lack? Africa has everything except selfless leaders. From Nigeria to Ghana, Kenya to Uganda, Zimbabwe to South Africa, etc we have great universities, and we churn out quality graduates annually. Regrettably, the system does not trust these graduates for jobs. Instead, the Chinese, Lebanese, and Indians are hired as expatriates. They take our jobs. We do not have confidence in the medical graduates we produce, hence we go abroad for medical treatments.” Nwokocha lamented.

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Nwokocha added that,” If African leaders could come together and build a stronger and more united region to be proud of, speak with one voice and exercise influence measurable with her size and population in international affairs, then, Africa will become a threat to other continents, drive better negotiations with other world leaders, support one another and pursue development together. “

On his part, Prof. Akinyemi explained that the political and economic woes of Africa were traceable to the imposition of colonialism. He however added that Africa leads should brace up and bring the desired Change.