Nigeria Can’t Progress Without Strong Institutions — Olanipekun SAN

A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has stated that Nigeria needs to build strong institutions for her to make progress, adding that countries made progress when they have succeeded in building strong institutions in both public and private sectors.

Olanipekun made this disclosure at the weekend during a colloquium themed: ‘Professionalism in Public Service’, was held in Victoria Island, Lagos which was part of activities for his conferment with the 2022 Leadership Without Title, (LWT) award by Prof Pat Utomi led Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL).

He added that the country needs a “revolution, not military intervention, to redeem itself. Every one of us needs to do a rethink the kind of country we want to bequeath to our children. Nigeria is asleep. The truth must be told. Nigeria is a big elephant. Those of us who have benefitted from this country must not allow it to fall

“We must demonstrate traits of leadership anywhere we are. I want a country that is well-governed. I want a country I would be proud of. I want a country that has fidelity,” he said.

Speaking, Prof Utomi said the award and colloquium were initiated a few years ago to honour outstanding sector leaders for their special contributions in the sector where they worked, adding that the programme is in keeping with his organisation’s commitment to affect the next generation to be leaders without care for the title while emphasising that it is an honour for people above 65 years who have left a mark worth emulating.

Honoured alongside Olanipekun is veteran journalist, Dr Patrick Dele Cole, who said, “in those days, civil service used to be strong and the society has to learn from this. The civil service are professionals but now things have changed. They are not paid enough for the kind of job they are doing. Civil service has failed to take on the government on the Federal character commission.

Dr Cole recalled that the civil service in the past was professional and were a strong institution from which the society used to learn a lot, lamenting that things have changed in the present-day civil service.

Prof Utomi called for a national conversation to discuss the myriad of problems facing the country stressing, “unless we have a national conversation, the kind of progress we desire for the country will be difficult to attain.”

Other speakers include; Mrs Boma Alabi (SAN), Country Director, DAI Global, Dr Joe Abah, Dr. (Mrs) Edefe Ojomo of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos (UNILAG).

The event which was moderated by Prof Utomi was graced by Chief Aremo Segun Osoba, Former Managing Director of the Guardian, Mr Emeka Izeze, former Editor of the Vanguard, Mr Gbenga Adefaye, Dr Joe Abah country Director, DAI Global, a lecturer in UNILAG, Dr Edefe Ojomo and Boma Alabi (SAN).

Other dignitaries include; former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, former Managing Director of the Guardian, Emeka Izeze, former Editor of the Vanguard, Gbenga Adefaye.