Kenyan lawyer Prof. Patrick Lumumba has said ignorance, poverty and diseases impede growth and development in Africa.
Lumumba spoke in a lecture Whither Education in Africa? at the 30th anniversary and 14th convocation of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, at the weekend.
The scholar stressed the need to respect and promote African culture, as well as the productive use of African expertise.
He said: “Its high time we fought ignorance, poverty, and diseases, which are our common enemies. We have been miseducated for too long. So many years after independence and building universities, what has changed? Has Africa attained its heights? Not that we have shortage of professionals, but we have to unlearn what we have learnt.
“We must be proud of our cultural heritage. We produce all the professionals, but when we want anything, we go to Europe and West to get it. Africans produce engineers, yet we cannot manufacture our own cars and phones.
“The mistake we must not make is the mistake of giving up. The university has made contributions. No matter how rich you are, you cannot buy back the past year.
“Education is the only thing that can make us achieve these things. We must take stock of what we’ve achieved. Have we produced an army of young men who will change Africa?” Lumumba said.
Addressing management and employees of DELSU, he said: “You are a droplet of the ocean called Nigeria, but be a good droplet. You must remember that every institution is like a human being. And you are no longer on the infant stage, but an adult stage where we can fight to rebuild the Africa of our dreams.
“The music for change must remain the same. The change is inter-generational. If we think that change is going to happen in 20 or 30 years, then we are joking. Change can take 100 years, even more. Our duty is to play our parts and ensure we pass over the baton to the next generation.”
One hundred and seventy four of 12,920 graduates got first class degrees.
Speaking at his maiden convocation, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Andy Egwunyenga said the ceremony was for 2018/2019, 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 sessions.
He noted that the combined convocation was a result of the “the COVID-19 pandemic, which subverted the usual tradition of annual convocation ceremonies.”
He described the convocation as “unique, as it coincides with the university’s 30th anniversary.”
Giving a breakdown, Egwunyenga said those who received postgraduate and first degrees as well as diplomas for 2018/2019 session were 4,465; 2019/2020, 4,998; while 2020/2021 had 3,457.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, represented by his Chief of Staff, Festus Agas, promised his administration’s support to the citadel of learning.
He urged the graduates to be good ambassadors of the university, saying DELSU graduates stand out wherever they were.
Okowa hailed the host community, Abraka, for creating a friendly atmosphere for DELSU to thrive.
Some personalities present included former governors, Chief James Ibori and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, as well as heads of several tertiary institutions.