Nigeria@59 : We need balanced federation of equal rights, opportunities to grow - Ochicha

Mr. Odey Ochihca

Chairman of the Governing Council of Federal Polytechnic; Ile-Oluji, Ondo State, Mr. Odey Ochihca has said that for Nigeria to develop and join the league of world class nations, there must be equal rights, equal opportunities and justice for all citizens.

Ochicha who stated this in a good will message marking Nigeria's 59th year independence anniversary identified injustice, unequalled opportunities and participation and abuses of citizens rights as banes to Nigeria's progress and development.

The APC chieftain projected that if the country can refocus her leadership architecture as well as citizens changing their attitude and mindset, by 2030, Nigeria will be competing favourably in terms of development with countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, China and others, nations Nigeria was far ahead of in the 60s.

While lauding the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to transform the country, he added that the task of building a nation is not only the responsibility of leaders but also citizens too have critical roles to play.

The leadership expert maintained that Nigeria may not have developed at the expected pace but there are many positives to take from the country's journey from independence till date which should create renewed hope for a better future noting that Nigeria is still together and trying very hard to move forward.

"We have not developed at the pace we should be as a country but we're still in the making process. If we can refocus our leadership architecture, redirect our leadership structure and change our attitude and mindset, by 2030, Nigeria may join the league of developed and world class nations of the world", he said.

According to him, "our dear country, Nigeria should be the best in Africa and one of the best nations in the world".

"Our past leaders may not have laid a solid foundation for us to grow like other third world countries but I see a better future for us with some policies of the President Buhari's administration moving us forward. The administration is working so hard to change Nigeria's status as a consuming nation to a producing nation where we should have been 10, 15  and or 20 years after our independence in 1960.

We are blessed with abundant natural resources and a very resilient population. All we need to do is to redirect our steps, support and pray for our leaders and one another. It took United Arab Emirates, UAE less than 20 years to be world class. It took Malaysia 22 years to be world class. It took Singapore 25 years to be world class and it took China 10 times the size of our country, Nigeria and with a population of about 1.3billion people 30 years to be developed and world class.

In 2012, China overtook Japan to be the 2nd most developed economy in the world next to the United States of America. Their visionary, patriotic and committed leaders did it. Our leaders too can do it for Nigeria. Yes, we can do it as well. Margaret Mead states that "It takes a few committed to change the world.

All these nations are not as endowed and rich in natural resources as our dear country, Nigeria, yet they are developed, advanced, modern and world class. If we must be like them, We must do away with imposed, selected and arrangee leadership at all levels.

We must do away with the monsters of poor leadership, corruption, ethnicity, greed, selfishness, injustice, godfatherism, and nepotism in order to be developed and world class. We need at all levels of governance, leaders who are visionary, selfless, patriotic, competent and capable to take us from 3rd world to 1st world nation by 2030", he said.