The current rate of youth unemployment is very serious and requires immediate interventions in order to lay a better foundation for sustainable development in Africa.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President of Nigeria made the assertion at the Fourth Ibadan Sustainable Development Summit, at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan on Tuesday, 13 August, 2013.
In his keynote address, entitled “Leadership in Africa’s Quest for Sustainable Development”, Chief Obasanjo stated that “with youth unemployment of 50% to 60% variously across Africa, it is a time bomb.” In order to forestall the impending danger, he stressed that leaders at all levels need to be more innovative and design mechanisms for engaging citizens in productive ways that would channel the benefits of growth to the people.
He said determined efforts should be made to invest in the future generations in job and wealth creation in order to ensure sustainable development.
“Achieving sustainable economic development would therefore require adequate individual and institutional mechanisms to ensure resources are allocated in ways that guarantee access to future generations”, he affirmed.
Chief Obasanjo who also emphasized visionary and institutional leadership were vital to sustainable development, decried military intervention in governance which foisted despots, dictators and autocratic rulers and government on many African States and consequently stunted sustainable growth in the affected countries.
While identifying lack of good governance and equity, inability to deal with the issue of poverty, corruption and employment as pivotal to security challenges in many African countries, he submitted that it was the responsibility of the leadership and followership to ensure peace and security. “Sustainable development cannot be achieved unless there is peace and security in the country”, Chief Obasanjo said.
The Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole, FAS, in his welcome address observed that the Summit “is taking place at a time the continent is experiencing an upturn in its development trajectory. Africa is rising and the trajectory and sustainability of this rise command intellectual engagement in the light of the general trends and challenges of development globally. He described the theme of the Summit “Leadership in Africa’s quest for sustainable development” as apt now that Africa seemed to be taking off and attracting a lot of interest from big businesses and major powers in the resources in Africa.
Professor Adewole drew attention of the participants to the anxiety being expressed in some quarters about the nature of the major powers engagement with Africa “Anxiety abounds that Africa may be at the threshold of a new form of colonization if Africa’s leaders do not pursue an appropriate and positive engagement that will ensure that the re-entry of these powers augur well for the welfare of African peoples, especially the poor.”
The University of Ibadan, through the Centre for Sustainable Development (CESDEV), Professor Adewole assured, “has resolved to drive the required reflections, debates and generation of innovative ideas that are necessary to make Africa’s rise sustainable.
