A former presidential candidate and businessman, Dr. Gbenga Hashim has burdened the necessity for Nigerian leaders to acknowledge previous errors as such will enthrone a tradition of accountability and reconciliation important for nationwide progress. Reacting to the talk over Normal Ibrahim Babangida’s autobiography:
“A Journey In Service,” Hashim counseled the ex-military president for acknowledging his previous errors and providing an apology to the nation.
He described the previous army president’s motion as an important step in direction of nationwide therapeutic and reconciliation. Hashim, who was amongst these detained with out trial beneath Babangida’s regime, revealed that whereas he was invited to the launch of the e-book however was unable to attend, he later visited the previous Head of State to congratulate him on the success of the venture.
Hashim defined that quite than specializing in the controversies raised b the e-book, emphasis must be on the importance of Babangida’s admission of previous errors. In line with Hashim, “IBB will not be the one chief who made errors in workplace, however not everybody has discovered the braveness and humility to confess their errors.
What he has mentioned and written are necessary testimonies for nationwide reconciliation.” Hashim clarified that he’s neither a praise-singer nor a beneficiary of Babangida’s authorities, recalling his sturdy opposition to the regime and imprisonment beneath Decree 2.
He, nonetheless, mentioned since 2004, following mediation by the late Governor Abdulkadir Kure, Prof. Tunde Adeniran and Dr. Esther Uduehi, he has come to understand Babangida’s qualities past politics.
“IBB is an enigma. Regardless of our variations, I’ve come to admire his humility, simplicity, and deep love for Nigeria’s unity. To him, nationwide unity is sort of a faith,” he mentioned.
Hashim additionally revealed Babangida’s pivotal behind-the-scenes function in making certain Goodluck Jonathan turned president beneath the Doctrine of Necessity throughout Nigeria’s 2010 political disaster.
His phrases: “He requested me to fly in from London when some curiosity teams have been working to forestall Jonathan from turning into appearing president.
I ran errands between him and for President Olusegun Obasanjo in Ota. I used to be with IBB until 1 a.m. the night time President Umaru Yar’Adua was being introduced again into the nation.
“We labored with Senate Chief, Teslim Folarin and Senator Pulka, who represented Jonathan’s camp. The remaining, as they are saying, is historical past.” On the necessity to enthrone a tradition of accountability and reconciliation, he mentioned: “As a nation, we have to apologize to some individuals, so we are able to shut the chapter on hatred and transfer ahead.
The victims of the primary coup, together with our founding fathers, these affected by the counter-coup, and numerous crises in our historical past, these wounds must be addressed.
“Nelson Mandela labored with De Klerk to reconcile South Africa. We should additionally work arduous to carry our nation collectively,” he mentioned. In one other growth, Hashim decried how rising insecurity is affecting Nigeria’s agricultural sector, which based on him, has huge alternatives.
He said this, whereas talking on the twenty seventh annual conference and the twenty sixth annual lecture collection of the Alumni Affiliation of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State.
Citing knowledge by the Nationwide Bureau of Statistics (NBS), between 2022 and 2024, he mentioned about half one million farmers have been displaced throughout the interval, resulting in a lack of over N2 trillion.
He mentioned a current research on the Center Belt additional revealed {that a} drop of over 70 per cent in farming actions resulting in “shortages of maize crops, and yam, amongst others. In line with him, the Institute of Peace Examine revealed that in 2024, over 3,500 circumstances of kidnapping occurred in Nigeria.
His phrases: “Other than the above pressing points, there are different points which have pretty been round for some time undermining agricultural productiveness and prosperity within the sector.
“They embody the next poor Infrastructure and market entry as poor highway networks hinder well timed supply of farm produce to markets. The African Growth Financial institution (AFDB) notes that postharvest losses in Nigeria exceed $9 billion yearly, primarily as a result of insufficient transportation and storage.”
On the function of alumni contributions to growth, Hashim emphasised that “alumni affiliation everywhere in the world serve the identical or comparable objective.”
This he mentioned, embody offering a platform for networking, serving to alumni keep linked and preserve relationship with the alma mater.
Please observe and like us:
