Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has said that emergence of oil had for long, made Nigerians and their leaders to lose their senses.
“We need to rethink our own role individually in what has happened in the past and what is happening now.”
Muhammad Bello, who spoke through FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye as he received in audience, participants of Senior Course 38, Command and Staff College, Jaji, that were in the FCT Administration for a study tour of Abuja, urged Nigeria’s elite to embrace the Change Agenda of the Federal Government to make Nigeria great again.
Muhammad Bello spoke against the background of the topic for discussion, which is repositioning Nigeria’s non-oil sector as a major source of revenue. He added that this topic is timely in view of the dwindling oil prices at the international market.
The Minister asked Nigerians to have a rethink individually and collectively to agree that “we are really ready for change.”
He emphasised the need for Nigeria’s elite to decide that they are really ready individually and collectively because that is what the study is all about.
“The most important thing in Nigeria is for those of us who are seated here and representing the elites to have a consensus and agree that we are really ready for change, because that was what happened in Singapore and Malaysia.”
Muhammad Bello wondered how the country got to the point it is now, where it is just beginning to discuss this issue of diversification after more than 50 years of independence?
“We have had very bad leadership in the history of this country and it is very unfortunate because we did not start with oil after all.
“The major infrastructure that we have in this country today was not built with oil money but as oil came, we lost our senses and today we are trying to bring it back.”
The Minister regretted that the industries, including the textile industries that used to be the second most important area that employed people in Nigeria have all been crippled.
Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation, Rear Admiral Makanju Madison Kadiri said that there in the college, the students receive lectures from various areas of interest associated with national
development and national security, and that the students do embark on study tour once in a year.
He said that the project is an environmental study tour that enable the students to familiarise themselves with the socio-economic and political developments in the country.
“This year, we are here in the Federal Capital Territory, the seat of government. When we go out, the students have the opportunity to consolidate the knowledge that we seek by way of interaction with practical experiences in the field. This is very important to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
“I want to thank the Federal Capital Territory Administration for the arrangements they made for our reception because since we came, we have been very well received. We have been privileged to visit selected departments of this FCT Administration to see your activities.” [myad]
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