The former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has vowed to continue visiting schools, particularly secondary schools, until all states in Nigeria start giving adequate budgetary attention to education.
Obi at Enugu Ezike that it was about time Nigeria embraced the in-thing in the word – transition from baggage to knowledge economy – which he regretted that Nigeria is not doing much on.
Using China as an example of a country, which though has no oil, more populated than the whole of Africa, which has vastly left Nigeria behind in all spheres of economic rating, Obi bemoaned the situation where Nigeria as a country and its regional governments have failed to introduce the United Nation’s stipulation of 26 per cent yearly budgetary allocation to Education.
‘‘What does China export to the world? Knowledge, which is moulded in technology and production. In our country we’re still after sharing oil money. Even when indications are glaring that the oil will be worthless in about 30 years’ time, our dear country is not doing anything to build an economy that will conveniently do without this present main source of revenue.
“Today, Nigeria ($420 billion) and South Africa ($280 billion), the two biggest economies in Africa have a combined GDP of $700 billion. But despite all our oil and South Africa’s gold, Apple as a company is worth more than both countries combined at over $800 billion. What does Apple sell to the world? Knowledge!’’ Obi said.
The former governor encouraged students to take their education seriously, listen attentively to their teachers to join the world order, which he said was punctuated by attention to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
He said that for them to come out with outstanding results, that they must have functional science and computer laboratories’ and computer studies.’’
Using Sokoto and Bauchi states as two examples of states that meet up with allocation of 26 per cent budget to Education, he called other states to emulate them.
Commending Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for his giant strides in the state, he said that his continued support would progressively bring out the best in him.
The climax of the event was the presentation of a cheque of one million naira as his personal contribution towards improving standards in the school.