It was a convergence of sorts at the ASUU-NAU Secretariat, Awka on Wednesday, as critical stakeholders in the academic, business and entrepreneurship world gathered for the commencement of the two-day 2023 Hybrid International Conference of the UNIZIK Business School, Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
The Conference which is in its fifth edition, is the second hybrid version and has its theme as, “Political Transition and Economic Development: The African Experience.”
In an opening remarks, Dr. Alex Otti, the Executive Governor of Abia State, who chaired the occasion, described the theme of the conference as apt especially at this moment in Nigeria’s democratic system of governance.
Dr. Otti, who was represented by the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UNIZIK, Prof. Sam Omenyi emphasized that political transition deals with political leadership as events that occur during the change of leadership goes a long way in affecting the development of the nation.
According to him, “the theme should help the participating stakeholders understand how such transitions affect socio-economic development and ensure that they come up with suggestions and outcomes on how to ensure that the machinery of governance continue to move in a way that the citizens remains its topmost priority.”
Declaring the event open, the UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Charles Esimone, pointed out that many years after the political transition to independence, many African states are still embarrassingly bugged down by underdevelopment, which is defined by the human development indices of the United Nations even with the huge resources they are endowed with, both in human and mineral resources.
Prof. Esimone who was represented by the Special Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor on Academic Matters, Prof. Frederick Odibo opined that it is a sad case that Nigeria which is a leading exporter of crude oil is unable to refine its domestic refined petroleum product need.
“This situation we have found ourselves in today as a nation is a humiliating illustration of the devious resources curse from which many African countries are affected.
“It is my hope that this conference will yield the opportunity to open new insights towards tackling the conundrum of political leaderships in Africa, with particular reference to Nigeria,” he said.
In his address, the Director, UNIZIK Business School (UBS), Prof. Emma Okoye stated that intellectual discourses of this nature which stimulate critical thinking, is one that drives the ‘Project 200’ vision of the present administration of Prof. Esimone, under which he targtes to make UNIZIK one of the first 200 universities of the world.
The UBS Director averred that the growing collaborations that the Business School has achieved thus far, have largely been borne out of the case study of her doctoral candidates who as part of their study undergo a week-long learning process in a foreign country to study the thriving business and how they operate to retain profitablity.
“While the current leadership has made continuous progress in giving UBS the face lift it deserves in order to come up to speed with other competitors, the UBS has constantly remained focused in achieving excellence in business education by adopting global best practices through her membership of Global Regulatory bodies and promoters of Business Schools such as AACSB, BGA and AABS.
“I urge all to take advantage of the their cutting-edge consultancy processes to develop and grow their organization to become more profitable while adopting survival strategies in a challenging business climate,” Prof Okafor said.
The keynote speaker, High Chief Prof. Obiorah Okonkwo eulogized UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor for driving the University in the area of grants and scholarships towards the delivery of quality education and development.
Prof. Okonkwo who was represented by Prof. Charles Obiorah gave an insight into the political infrastructure of most African nations since independence from the cold war era to the post-cold war era, noting that most African countries which gained independence from the period of 1960 to 1970 has a political culture that was largely democratic but took a new dimension thereafter as most government embarked on negative tendencies such as nepotism, corruption, embezzlement of public funds and extrajudicial killings.
Prof. Okonkwo affirmed that a peaceful political transition will bring about enhanced development that will ensure that people feel the impact of democracy, he called on African leaders to adopt servant leadership through equity and accountability in all their policies and implementation actions.
The Lead Paper Presenter and Former World Bank Managing Director (Africa), Dr. Oby Ezekwesili emphasized that the pattern of political transition in Africa has not guaranteed true democracy, describing the desired real democracy as one which generates positive socioeconomic development.
The former Minister of Education pointed out Nigeria political system has become a system where transition is no longer people but court driven and monopolized such that the people’s wish does not count anymore but the wish of the political class.
Ezekwesili urged the federal government to enthrone policies that will alleviate the sufferings of poor Nigerians who she said have been at the receiving end of bad governance and policies that have thrown them into poverty and economic hardship.
On his part, Ven. Prof. Anayo Nkamnebe stated that political transition talks about transition in leadership with power to make laws end enforce them.
Prof. Nkamnebe emphasized that once transition is not people driven and legitimate, the transited leader might lack the inner drive to enforce policies that would generate desired economic development.
He called on Nigerian Government to enact policies that will alleviate the poor economic conditions of most Nigerians and bring about socioeconomic development.
Highpoints of the occasion were award presentations and tour of the new UBS building.
