Nigerian talents and the conversation in 2000 A.D
There was a conversation in the year 2000 AD. The genesis of that conversation was the unpardonable state of affairs within a country of over 100 million people- the largest black nation on earth- on the historic dawn of the Twenty-first Century. The conversation took place in a technology acquisition class. Students of an executive MBA program in Technology Management expressed the view that whilst everything was changing in Nigeria, the country was getting relatively backward. Essentially, what added flavour to the conversation was the participation of the lecturer- a Nigerian professor of mechanical engineering- who was a member of two or more committees set-up by federal military governments in the 1970s and 1980s to sign various contracts on technology transfer matters between the country and some developed countries in Europe and America. So, if the Prof was professing to students on how nations acquired technology, why has Nigeria not joined the league of technologically advanced nations after several decades of political independence? Those in the team lacked appropriate knowledge on technology transfer issues at that time, according to the Prof. This is now history.
Nigerians who have excelled in their professional callings are in the thousands but their accomplishments have not conferred on Nigeria the status of an industrialized nation. During the conversation, the erudite professor goes on to illuminate that in the USA in 1960s, Nigerian students were, and are still, doing very well academically in their colleges and universities. But why has the knowledge and skills acquired by talented Nigerians not contributed significantly to modern industrialism in Nigeria, some students demanded? The Prof’s response was that the government never tasked its citizens on the kind of knowledge and skills they should acquire from abroad. We concluded the conversation by acknowledging that those on state scholarships at home and abroad were not tasked because there was no time the government of Nigeria had plans as to what the knowledge and skills embodied in its human capital would be used for. Perhaps, the vision to have Nigeria as the twentieth most industrialized nation in the world by 2020 would have been a starting point to harness brilliant ideas from talented Nigerians. But Nigeria lost the vision because our politicians have not at any time responded positively to the pervasive myopia in development theory- the neglect of the technology phenomenon.
The good news is that Nigeria has talents in all spheres of human endeavor: From liberal arts and humanities, through to medicine, science and technology, including mathematics and engineering. Nigerians, particularly our youths, have proved and are still proving their mettle. Talent is necessary but not sufficient to achieve national development. The talent of individuals must be discovered, harnessed, nurtured and managed so that they would contribute to national development. Talented youth (18-35years) constitute a large chunk of the country’s human capital. Regrettably, these youth have been frustrated by quota system and the federal character principle of the country. The consequence is that advancements in the country’s public institutions which ought to be drivers of development are neither based on merit nor competence. The operating environment in Nigeria asphyxiates knowledge and abilities of our youth and it is responsible for the current surge in brain drain. Even a few of those without skill are not interested in Nigeria. Most of them have chosen to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe in search of greener pasture because they feel their country cannot assist them to actualize their dreams.
The performance of any nation is only as good as those who lead her. A nation that aspires to greatness will invest in the future of her youth so that they can grow and not glow in poverty, ignorance and frustration.
The year 2018 has been a year of great accomplishments for many Nigerian youth at home and abroad too numerous to mention in this piece. Those in the government responsible for the welfare of Nigerians have engaged themselves at full throttle in “politics of hatred” since the early part of the year. So, Nigerian youth have taken up the responsibility of flying high in their chosen endeavors.
Recently, five Nigerian girls from Regina Pacis Secondary School Onitsha, Anambra State, represented Nigeria and Africa at the World Technovation Challenge in the Silicon Valley in San Francisco, USA, and won the Gold Medal in the contest. Technovation is a programme that offers girls around the world the opportunity to learn the programming skills they need to emerge as tech-entrepreneurs and leaders.
As Nigerians felicitate with these young girls from Anambra State on their outstanding performance, the 2018 edition of the Young Managers Competition organized by the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) recently took place in Lagos. For this year’s competition, “a total of 246 young managers (men and women) applied for the competition, but only 154 participated in the online qualifying test.” At the end of the online test, nine young managers were adjudged qualified to be part of the final stage of the competition. To select the Young Manager on 8 August 2018, each of the nine contestants made a presentation on the topic “Re-thinking Management in the Twenty-first Century.” The panel of judges declared one Ayodeji Odeleye, an Estate Surveyor as the overall winner.
It is not the first time in the history of Nigeria that Nigerians at home and abroad have excelled in their chosen endeavor. Nigerians have done well in the past, and they are still soaring in their chosen professions. But these achievements, either singly or collectively, have not been galvanized into national development. Why? If one wants to know how far a country can go in the 21st Century, one should count its highly effective teachers, involved parents, dedicated politicians and committed students. We would be deluding ourselves if policy makers think that Nigeria can develop out of confusion and frustration that have eaten deep into the fabrics of the society. Those in the government should show leadership, invest in our talents through educational sponsorships, and task them towards national development. Importantly, it’s the responsibility of the government to create an enabling environment for our talented youths to display their capacity and capability.
MA Johnson