By Adesina Wahab 

The family of the late Col. Godfrey Nebo has held the fifth memorial lecture as part of activities marking 20 years since the respected military officer passed on.

The lecture was titled “Rethinking Nigerian educational system: The need for paradigm shift” and held at Nebo Hall, Abalti Military Barracks, Lagos, where the late colonel distinguished himself as a top ordinance officer.

Delivering her welcome address, Mrs Mary Lotachuckwu Ohagwasi, the Founder of the Nebo Foundation, said the choice of the topic for the lecture was hinged on the importance of education to a nation’s development and growth.

“Our nation’s progress hinges upon the foundational role of education, yet we face pressing challenges that demand urgent and innovative solutions.  It is with this belief that we must rethink and reshape our educational system to catalyse positive change in Nigeria.

“Let us prepare our youths for the future by ensuring that our educational practices are relevant, equitable and forward-thinking. Positioning them for the opportunities of tomorrow today,” she said.

Speaking on some of the virtues of the deceased military officer, she described him as a humanist and someone who believed in doing good to others workout any primordial considerations.

The keynote speaker, Dr Peter Ogudoro, noted that Nigeria’s population is yet to be empowered through quality education, and that is the reason why many challenges beset the country.

He added that if the nation’s educational system truly works, the country would not find it difficult to actualise its potential and become the real giant and leader of the African continent.

The Chairman of the event, Elder Okoroji, observed that the nation is now finding it difficult to get competent teachers to teach our children. 

He blamed the development on poor remuneration and terrible welfare packages for teachers.

Delivering the lecture, Prof. Sunday Adeyemo of the University of Lagos, called for a stop to the importation of foreign ideas that are not relevant to our situation as far as education is concerned. 

He also frowned at seeing education as a business that anybody can get involved in to make a huge profit without minding the implications on the students.

To him, starting a school is not what everybody can go into as a business, as having a passion for education comes first.