Unemployment: Nigeria sits on gun powder, says Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed concern over increasing graduate unemployment.

He said the country will be toying with gave dangers should the trend persists

The ex-president sounded the warning at the weekend at the 10th Anniversary and Convocation Ceremonies of the state-owned Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun.

He urged the federal, state and local governments to pay more attention to job creation for the growing unemployed youth population.

Obasanjo, who spoke after the university conferred an honorary Doctorate Degree (PhD) in Political Science on him, said education is a meal ticket for anybody that has it.

He noted that if university education could not facilitate development at the personal, family, community and national levels, the essence of it was then defeated.

Obasanjo said: “Governments should do more in the area of employment. If there is no job for the unemployed to feed themselves and also to contribute to the development of the country, then we will all be sitting on a gun powder.

“If university education was not for development, then it was not serving any useful purpose.”

He added: “I believe in lifelong education. Nobody should stop learning until he or she dies.”

He added that only the National Universities Commission (NUC) could explain why the proposed Federal Universities of Education did not materialise during his tenure as president 12 years ago.

Obasanjo, now a university proprietor, noted that the Federal Government 12 years ago proposed the upgrading of the Adeyemi College of Education, Ivan Ikoku College of Education, and two others in Kano and Zaria into a full-fledged university status.

He said he did know why the issue remained at the level of proposal.

“The idea of university of education in Nigeria came up 12 years ago, when I was at the helms of affairs. I had thought that if we have specialised university for agriculture, specialised university for science and technology, why not for university of education? Why can we not have a university designated for education?

“At that time at the federal level, four colleges of education, which belong to the Federal Government, would be turned into university of education. They included the Adeyemi College of Education in Ondo, Ivan Ikoku College of Education, one in Kano and I think the other in Zaria. We were ready to go. Well, why we could not go, Peter Okebukola is here. You can ask him and he will tell you.

“Well, the Ogun State Government took this initiative and behold, we had the first University of Education in Ogun State. Mr. Governor, please help us to thank your predecessor for this.”

The former president also gave an insight into why he accepted the honorary degree from TASUED.

“I don’t indulge in accepting honorary award. It became a must because of the personality which the university was named after. He is one of the best educationists this country ever has; then his memory should remain real with everybody.

“Mama HID is also being honoured by this university. Anywhere mama is been honoured, we must join hand to honour her,” Obasanjo said.

He hailed Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun for sustaining the legacy.

About 5,970 graduated at the event, including a dozen who made First Class.

Amosun promised the First Class graduands automatic jobs.