Chikodi Okreocha
The Former Director of Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission and Kenya School of Laws, Prof. P.L.O. Lumumba on Tuesday said without value addition, Africa’s search for economic development will remain a mirage.
He said African countries must add value to their raw materials if they must develop economically either in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, which implementation begins in June nest year, or in the context of the “Africa Agenda 2063.”
Lumumba, a renowned pan-Africanist and Associate Professor of Public Law, spoke as Guest Lecturer at the 6th edition of the Goddy Jidenma Foundation Bi-annual Lecture held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, on Tuesday.
Established in 2007, Goddy Jidenma Foundation is a not-for-profit non-governmental organisation set up in the memory of Arc Goddy Jidenma, who died in 2006. He was a selfless leader who made indelible impacts in the lives of the people around him particularly among the disadvantaged.
He achieved this through philanthropic acts that helped to uplift and improve the living conditions of widows, orphans, aged spinsters amongst others.
The Foundation in fulfilling part of its objectives promotes thought leadership through its bi-annual public lecture series, which focuses on engaging the Nigerian public on issues of national and continental relevance.
The topic of the 6th edition of the Lecture was “Governance, Insecurity, Poverty and Economic Development: Whither Africa?” The event was chaired by former Minister of Foreign Affairs & Former Permanent Representative of Nigeria at the United Nations, Prof Joy Ogwu.
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In his presentation, Prof Lumumber said value addition was critical to Africa’s economic development. He lamented that at moment, Nigeria and indeed, other African countries export their raw materials without any value addition; the raw materials so exported are processed and sent back to Africa, resulting in poverty and under-development.
He said, for instance, that despite being a major crude oil producer, Nigeria exports crude, which is refined abroad and sent back to the country. Same for Ghana, which despite being a major raw cocoa producer does not have a chocolate making industry.
Lumumba said this was partly responsible for why Africa missed out from previous industrial revolutions.
He also warned that unless the continent addresses the issues of bad governance and poverty, it may also lose out from the current Fourth Industrial Revolution, where Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, Internet-of-all-Things, among others, are the order of the day.
Lumumber while pointing out that Africa does not trade with itself, described the AfCFTA as a welcome development. He, however, urged African Governments to prioritise Research & Development (R&D) in order to take full advantage of the trade liberalisation deal.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Executive Secretary, Goddy Jidenma Foundation, Dr. Ije Jidenma, said the Foundation had in its 12 years of existence carried out various philanthropy or charity, reaching out to the disadvantaged in the society.
She said the Foundation has also collaborated existing local NGOs using their platform to engage target audience and give talks aimed at enlightening and encouraging the less-privileged and also giving them hope.
“Our thought leadership series remains out flagship in terms of the calibre of decision-making Nigerians it attracts. This cuts across high-ranking Nigerians, business leaders, leaders of thought, academia, captains of industry, students and everyday men and women,” she added.
Chairman of the event, Prof Ogwu, praised the commitment of Mrs. Jidenma in continuing in the legacy of her late husband, Arc Goddy Jidenma. According to her, Mrs. Jidenma has continued to sustain the enduring values, ideals and principles her late husband lived for.
In his remarks, the Foundation’s Chairman, Board of Trustees, Prof. Pat Utomi, said “The change Africa craves will only come from each and every one of us doing something to change the current narrative of poverty and underdevelopment.”
The inaugural lecture of the Foundation was held in 2009 with a ground-breaking Lecture by renowned constitutional Lawyer, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, on “Strengthening the Foundations and Institutions of Democracy in Africa.”
Its second bi-annual lecture in 2011, on “Democracy and the Politics of Petroleum: comparative African Perspectives” was delivered by the notable Public Intellectual and internationally celebrated African Political Scientist, Prof Ali Mazrui., D.Phil (Oxon) C.B.S.
The Third bi-annual Lecture on “The Practice of Federalism in Africa, the Nigerian Experience and the Way Forward” was delivered in 2013 by Prof Jonah Elaigwu, an Emeritus Professor of Political Science of University of Jos and the President of Institute of Governance and Social Research, Jos.
The Fourth Public lecture was in 2015. The Topic of discourse was “Leadership, Responsibility & Good Govenance.”It was delivered by Prof. Utomi, who is Founder and CEO of Center for Values in Leadership.
The Fifth public Lecture was held in 2017 on the topic: “The Challenge of Economic Growth in Nigeria” by Prof Kingsley Moghalu, Founder & President, Institute of Governance and Economic Transformation & Former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria.
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