The Central Bank governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, warned Saturday that the current civil unrest in some countries in North Africa could be experienced in Nigeria if the nation’s leadership failed to take full advantage of the enormous potentials that abound in the country.

This is coming against the backdrop of the federal government’s approval to site six new universities in the six geo-political zones of the country, which is meant to give youths access to tertiary education and by so doing, exploit the potentials inherent in them.

Speaking shortly after receiving an honorary doctorate degree in Business Administration, at the 40th convocation ceremony of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Sanusi said that Nigeria was blessed with abundant potentials, which if properly harnessed would “astronomically” improve the nation’s socio-political and economical development.

“This is a country we must always have hope on, not out of pity but because it has great potential to be realised. Universities are the conscience of the nation and a whole lot of potentials are developed here.

“We therefore need to take full advantage of these potentials because if we don’t, what we are witnessing in Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt will happen here.

“We have oil and gas, but we import energy; we have large land resources, but we import food; we have been number the one producer of cassava in the world, but we import starch; we have a large cotton belt, but we import textiles from China; we have hides and skin, but we don’t have the necessary industry to develop it.

“By addressing each of these areas in a well structured and articulated manner, we will move this country out of poverty and be the China of Africa. This is not going to be done for us by the Chinese or the Americans.

“We are the ones to do it. We don’t need to treat this country with despair and despondency, but with hope and ambition,” he stated, adding that by the time the right things are done, the country would emerge a global giant in the foreseeable future.

In their separate speeches at the convocation, which witnessed the presentation of honorary doctorate awards to Rear Admiral Allison Madueke and Mr. Cletus Ibeto, the Vice Chancellor, Pro-chancellor and Chancellor of the University, Prof. Bartho Okolo, Prof . S. O. Igwe and Alhaji Shehu Idris respectively, all confirmed that the school had recorded enormous achievements in the past years.

According to them, UNN now ranks third in Nigeria in the local university league, 54th in Africa and 5,176th in the world as a result of the commitment of the administration to take the school to greater heights.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110227204475
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/n-africa-revolution-sanusi-cautions-nigerian-leaders/86920/

By Paul I. Adujie
Since the political and constitutional upheaval in Tunisia, then followed by Egypt and now Libya, Jordan, Bahrain, Yemen and so on, some Nigerians have publicly commented that Nigerians can only dream of Egyptian and Tunisian style revolutions and political uprising.

Some Nigerians have even gone to the unreasonable extent of actually saying such will not, and could NEVER happen in Nigeria! And we must ask, REALLY?

Dimeji Bankole, Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives drove the last nail into this revolution-is-impossible-in-Nigeria argument several days ago, through his address to parliamentarians from Germany who were visiting Nigeria. Speaker Bankole, whose only claim to fame, infamy, are series of scandalous dealings and revelations against him thinks Nigerians have no reasons to revolt?

One wonders what exactly gives Mr. Bankole these sorts of supreme confidence Mr. Bankole is a man, a Nigerian politician who is not known for driving a particular policy, law or ideology. He actually had the audacity and temerity to publicly proclaim that a revolution is impossible in Nigeria! Are Nigerians content and happy?

Who and what gave Dimeji Bankole such overconfidence or unmitigated arrogance? How can he and the House of Representatives and by extension the current crop of Nigerian political class which he represents, be so cocksure that Nigerians have nothing to complain about and we have no need to engage in any revolt, uprising and indeed, a revolution similar to and better than the world have seen recently in Tunisia, Egypt, Wisconsin and Belgium?

Dimeji Bankole and Nigeria’s current crop of political operators must not be allowed to take Nigerians, long suffering Nigerians for granted. He and his ilk must not be allowed to demonstrate their utter contempt and insensitivity to the plights and predicaments of millions of Nigerians.

What Nigerians Want? The Same Things, Simple Things which citizens of Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan want!,

http://www.saharareporters.com/article/revolution-impossible-nigeria

go here:

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-611041.128.html

LRNZH:

Dimeji Bankole, Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives drove the last nail into this revolution-is-impossible-in-Nigeria argument several days ago, through his address to parliamentarians from Germany who were visiting Nigeria. Speaker Bankole, whose only claim to fame, infamy, are series of scandalous dealings and revelations against him thinks Nigerians have no reasons to revolt?

One wonders what exactly gives Mr. Bankole these sorts of supreme confidence Mr. Bankole is a man, a Nigerian politician who is not known for driving a particular policy, law or ideology. He actually had the audacity and temerity to publicly proclaim that a revolution is impossible in Nigeria! Are Nigerians content and happy?

How can this journalist claim a man of Bankole's calibre is the one to drive the last nail into this revolution-is-impossible-in-Nigeria argument ?

Kobojunkie:

How can this journalist claim a man of Bankole's calibre is the one to drive the last nail into this revolution-is-impossible-in-Nigeria argument ?

Help me ask oh. Don't mind the semantics.

Bottom-line is even the said journalist thinks Bankole has not got the calibre to dismiss the possibility of a revolution in Nigeria.

Let's see after the April '11 polls and test Bankole's premise should the elections come up foul.

OK. Now the revolution is to wait till after April?

againstGEJ:

OK. Now the revolution is to wait till after April?

Yes.

GEJ has not given a good account of himself as a leader for the past 1 year (at least)

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=591177.msg7587227#msg7587227

PDP has not improved for the past 12 years.

But if we have an instrument (free and fair elections) to boot out non-performing people/parties in leadership I think we can wait and until the results come in.

even when the opposition is already crying malpractices b4 the elections? what will they cry when they loose out?

well, it's reached oman now.

Sanusi is right, its just that people are not listening to what Sanusi is sayin, he is saying if the govt does not wake up to its responsibilities.

Revolution will only happen when we all are frustrated with the system, I wonder how many posters on this forum are children of Customs officers, Police Officers, PHCN officials, Port officials, how many posters here are related to MDs of parastatals, how many here are not beneficiaries either directly or indirectly in this country.

Corruption in Nigeria feeds 80% of the population or is anyone actually deceived that 70% live below $1 per day, they survive from corruption, what is the meaning of its not my salary I am living on but the grace of God? In Egypt the people were not benefitting from corruption because accountability is everywhere except in the presidency, everyone had to do with what he had.

I will close with this last question, if it was simply impossible for Policemen to collect tolls on the road, rent out their guns to armed robbers and could not go on unofficial assignments escorting people would anyone ask them to revolt?

marvix:

Sanusi is right, its just that people are not listening to what Sanusi is sayin, he is saying if the govt does not wake up to its responsibilities.

Revolution  will only happen when we all are frustrated with the system, I wonder how many posters on this forum are children of Customs officers, Police Officers, PHCN officials, Port officials, how many posters here are related to MDs of parastatals, how many here are not beneficiaries either directly or indirectly in this country.

Corruption in Nigeria feeds 80% of the population or is anyone actually deceived that 70% live below $1 per day, they survive from corruption, what is the meaning of its not my salary I am living on but the grace of God? In Egypt the people were not benefitting from corruption because accountability is everywhere except in the presidency, everyone had to do with what he had.

I will close with this last question, if it was simply impossible for Policemen to collect tolls on the road, rent out their guns to armed robbers and could not go on unofficial assignments escorting people would anyone ask them to revolt?

Good question.

Only issue with Nigeria is can people from the North and South agree to revolt together irrespective of who is in power?
That is something that may work against a peoples revolution in this country.

Those with clean hands (Sanusi) are not scared of revolution whilst those with dirty hands (Bankole) are.