Aare Afe Babalola, a prominent legal figure and Elder Statesman, has emphasized that Nigeria will remain in poverty indefinitely if it continues to consume more than it produces.
Echoing statements expressed by the 2023 presidential candidate for Labour Party Peter Obi, Babalola underscored the critical need for Nigeria to transition from a consumption-driven economy to one focused on production.
Babalola’s statement was made over the weekend in Ado-Ekiti during the opening of the maiden edition of the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) Industrial Park Trade Fair.
The event was held in collaboration with the state chapter of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE).
Additionally, Babalola addressed the issue while receiving the Icon Award for Excellence from the Akure Branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA).
In his statement, Babalola warned that Nigeria might remain stagnant as long as indiscipline, poor work attitudes, lack of vision, and patriotism are tolerated.
He urged Nigerians and their leaders to be genuinely willing to change this narrative for the country to grow.
He described the industrial park as a technology hub designed to bridge the gap between research and industry, providing employment opportunities for many jobless graduates and youths.
Furthermore, Babalola expressed concern over the rising incidence of courts delivering contradictory judgments on the same subject matter. He called on members of the NBA nationwide to urgently convene a meeting to address this issue, emphasizing the need to prevent further damage and embarrassment to the legal profession.
READ ALSO: Liberian President Boakai Reduces Own Salary by 40% Amid Public Demands for Economic Stability
He said, “It is true Nigeria today, is in the doldrums. That however does not mean we should throw patriotism and national interest into the mud. This is because, to me, Nigeria can still become like the USA of this world, or other great countries alike.
“But the bitter truth is that Nigeria can not suddenly become a USA with the way we do things continually and still expect different results. Nigeria is such a rich country, blessed with resources, good weather, friendly climate and money.
“Unfortunately however, aside from many other obvious factors, the very point where we began to get things wrong is that Nigeria is a nation that consumes more than it produces, and the bitter truth here is that, any country that does that, will remain perpetually poor.”
“As a leader by example, even at my age, I abhor laziness and complacency. I do work for 18 hours daily. I do not buy food, I grow them on the farm, I do not buy pepper, tomatoes, chicken or fish, I produce them. How many Nigerians do that?” he asked.
Recall that Peter Obi had said he was in the race to change Nigeria from a consuming country to a producing country. He noted that ” Nigeria is collapsing and collapsing very fast.”
Obi believed that only a move to more production could guarantee Nigeria a more stable economy, increase wealth and better the lives of millions of Nigerians, who at this time currently live below the poverty line.
Follow Parallel Facts on WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCQSAoHgZWiDjR3Kn2E
