IBADAN— GOVERNOR ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, yesterday, said that Nigeria must look beyond crude oil to create lasting prosperity.

He also noted that Nigerian leaders must look after the people, and invest more in education and entrepreneurship so that the country could grow in the direction that the world is going.

The governor stated this while speaking at the commissioning/handover of the IT Community Centre donated to the Oladipo Alayande School of Science, Oke-Bola, Ibadan, by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Governor Makinde, who appreciated the First Lady and National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, for building the Centre in Oyo State, said Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence remained the roads to the future.

His words: “I can only say thank you ma, for bringing this ICT Centre to Ibadan. Let me also say thank you to the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA.

“My message is quite simple; I have heard people talk about how Nigeria does not have any business with poverty and I have asked them why. Their answers were always that we have natural resources; we have oil and solid minerals. I have always pointed out that natural resources alone cannot bring economic prosperity; there must be entrepreneurship and education.

“There must also be opportunities to grow based on where the world is going. About 50 years ago, if you had coal, you would be considered a rich country, because of the industrial revolution at that time. They were using coal to power railways and all sorts of things; there were coal power plants. But if you have coal today, it is a forgotten wealth literally.

“Today, we have oil but in some years to come, people will also forget oil. For us to create the kind of prosperity that will last, we must look after our people; Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence are the roads to the future and I am glad that under the Renewed Hope Initiative, you have brought this to Oyo State.”

In her speech, Mrs Tinubu noted that the IT Community Centre would give women and girls the knowledge that would help them with skills needed to empower communities, break traditional barriers and give them access to new opportunities.

She said: “This Centre we are commissioning today is the third one. By the grace of God, the fourth, which is located in Benue State, will be ready for commissioning soon.

“Our programme is not political. We do the work because we are all Nigerians. And like I do say, ‘positions would come and go,’ but they will ask you what you have done for your people. So, all our programmes are people-centred. We are not biased and we are not favouring one party over the other.”