By DAYO ADESULU

Vision 20:2020 that is eight years away from now has received optimism from Professor  Anya .O. Anya, a Chartered Biologist who said that Nigerians must not loss hope of actualising the vision 20:2020.

He said: “Vision 20:2020 is possible if the conditions are met, adding, Nation can be transformed in their developmental experience within a historically short period as in China which transformed in eleven years.”

He added that the experience of China has demonstrated that the expertise, skills and knowledge of a nation which confers competitive advantage on them is more important than the reservoir of natural resources which a nation possesses.

Speaking at the Bishop Mike Okonkwo 13th annual lecture titled: “Dependance, Resource Curse and the Challenge of Building a Prosperous Economy in a Global World- Nigeria’s Options” Professor Anya noted that Nigeria has over depend on oil at the expense of other resources  adding, “in the new global world, economic power is increasingly dependent on access to and control over information, technology and the global financial institutions”.

Quoting Michael Porter, he said, “Countries that improve their standard of living are those in which firms are becoming more productive through the development of more sophisticated sources of competitive advantage based on knowledge, investment, insight and innovation.”

According to him, if a nation is to move beyond poverty, it must upgrade its institutions and skills to cope with international competitiveness, saying that the usual litany will include upgrading human capital, improving infrastructure, opening up to international trade and investment, protecting intellectual property and raising regulatory standards to enhance quality, as well as expanding regional integration in a manner that enhances cost effective linkages.

Increased prosperity
Transforming economic development, he noted must start from the acceptance of the fact that prosperity issues from increased productivity rather than from the control of resources, discriminatory dispensation of government favours or control of military power.

On his part, governor Babatunde Raji Fashola while commending the initiative of the presiding bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Bishop Mike Okonkwo for organising such yearly essay competition and annual lecture to broaden the horizon of students said, “I am so happy, I came because these children are my responsibility. What they become in future depend on how I do my job as the governor of Lagos State.

“If Bishop Okonkwo does this without being member of my cabinet, that shows the vital role he is playing as a nation builder and good follower by investing in the future of the country”  He, however urged all Nigerians to emulate the good gesture of nation building in Bishop Mike Okonkwo.

The governor who used the occasion to felicitates with the Bishop Mike Okonkwo on his 67th birth day said  he was happy when he saw the Shell Hall at Muson Center filled with people who were willing to enjoy the diet of knowledge to celebrate scholars.

Master Ahia Fego, student of Brillient Child College, Lagos who came first in 2011 edition also emerged first in this 2012 edition. Fego said the secret of his  success was hard work. According to him, he reads virtually everything he comes across  and check difficult words in the dictionary. “I read our national newspapers, books and internet, he said”

He was rewarded alongside these eight students: Okoli Chinaza, Vivian Fowler College, Lagos, Nwabiankea Mark, Lagos Senior Model College, Badore, Alufa Temijuopelo, Community Secondary School, Abuja, Famadewa Irenitemi Vivian-Fowler College, Lagos, Asuzu Kamsi Vivian-Fowler College, Lagos, Eke Ikechi Kalu, Fountain Heights Secondary School Surulere, Sanusi Morenike, Vivian-Fowler College, Lagos and Ooretoluse Delano, Fountain Heights Secondary School, Surulere.