BY PROFESSOR ANTHONY DANLADI ALI
What is Education? Education can be divided into 2 – Formal and Informal.
Education is the overall development of the human self.
Formal Education is acquired by learning in academic institution or acquired by attending a training e.g, the black smith, the fashion designer, the furniture maker, the mat weaver, the potterer, the art of carving, painting all are educated in their own way.
For those who attended academic institutions they go to learn to read and write. the ability of which makes them acquire knowledge of various professions and to specialized at higher level to become successful in their own ways as teachers, lawyers, medical practitioners, engineers, architecture, biotechnologist, historians, artists, authors, and other great minds and inventors.
Western education was introduced to Nigeria by the British when it colonized the territory after the Berlin conference in 1884. Earlier, schools where Nigerians were taught to read and write were established by Christian missionary churches.
In later years, by the 1950s, Nigerians started to acquire higher university education to become professionals in divers fields. The beneficiaries of these early higher education are today better off in life. For instance, the Yoruba ethnic groups in Nigeria had early contact with Christian missionaries and took the advantage to attend academic institutions.
Today, in Nigeria the Yoruba ethnic group have 60% of professors, 60% of lawyers, 60% of bureaucrats, 60% of bankers, 60% of industrialist, and business moguls, especially in finance industry.
On the other hand, Northern Nigerian is lagging behind Southern Nigerian in professional skills, Technology, standard of living, world exposure, and otherwise. This is because the North which is dominantly muslim population refused to embrace early western or European education which they esteemed as, makaranta boko makaranta wuta. Meaning: western education is helish. Till date, the North is battling with how to catch up with the south in acquiring European education. Make haste and go to school.
I understand that the topic of this symposium, IS EDUCATION STILL THE KEY? arose consequent on the rising unemployment in Nigeria. The unemployment is not a result of the too many people who have gone to school but a consequence of the bad political administration of the country Nigeria which have mismanage the economy since 1979, when Alhaji Usman Shehu Shagari became president. Since then, the economy is not growing. Indeed, it is poverty of knowledge or know how, which is technology that has caused Nigeria to be so backward, under developed and poor.
W.W. Rostow (Cambridge University, 1960) identify education as one of the 8th indices or categories essential for a country to break out of poverty and underdevelopment. All technologically advance country have over 60% of their population which have acquired university education. But in the case of Nigeria and other African countries less than 20% of their population have acquired university education which is why they are backward, poor, under developed, ignorant, and suffering from all kinds of diseases. I hereby call on Nigeria governments at all levels to make education a priority and compulsory at elementary and secondary school levels. Indeed, education should always take the lion share of Nigeria’s budget henceforth, if we really want to pull out of backwardness.
Since Nigeria obtained political independence in 1960, the ruling political class is saturated with semi-illiterate and school drop outs which is why political consideration over rides economic decision. This is unfortunate. Please make university degree the entry qualification to the Houses of Assembly and the National Assembly or else WE ARE DOOMED FOR LIFE.
And you that gave me this topic – IS EDUCATION STILL THE KEY? It is because you are a contractor, but l advice you, when you graduate from the university with a First Degree, please go for post graduate studies so you yourself will be able to answer this question clearly.
If you graduate and you cannot get employed it is because the economy is not growing and not because there are too many graduates. After all, the United State of America (USA) has been producing university graduates since the 19th Century and their economy is still absorbing graduates. What percentage of Nigeria’s population are university graduates? How many Ph.D in your family? How many professors in your village? Please, Nigerians must go back to the drawing board and rethink and replan or else, we are doomed.
EMAIL: nthnyali123@gmail.com
PROF. ALI OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FEDERAL UNIVERSITY LOKOJA.
HE DELIVERED THE SPEECH DELIVERED AT ANNUAL WEEK OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LOKOJA LOCAL GOVERNMENT STUDENTS (NALLGS) AT A ONE-DAY SYMPOSIUM ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 3RD 2024.
VENUE: LOKOJA YOUTH HOUSE (AMUSEMENT PARK).
