Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stressed the need for Nigeria to urgently implement aggressive policies and development plans aimed at eradicating illiteracy within the next few decades.
In a statement released by his special assistant on media, Kehinde Akinyemi, on Sunday, Obasanjo warned that failing to prioritize education for all citizens poses significant risks to the nation’s future.
Obasanjo expressed deep concern over the growing number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, currently estimated at over 20 million.
He cautioned that if this issue is not addressed, the country will likely see a rise in social problems such as drug abuse, terrorism, and banditry, as these children, without education and necessary skills, may become societal nuisances.
To counter this, Obasanjo proposed a 25-year socio-economic development agenda, emphasizing the importance of education and technology.
This plan, he suggested, should be agreed upon by all political parties and enacted into law by both the National and State Assemblies. It would make it compulsory for every Nigerian child to receive education up to the secondary school level.
“A 25-year socio-economic development agenda that will be generally agreed to by the nation, including all political parties, and passed into law by the National Assembly with corresponding laws by the State Houses of Assembly, will have the effect of almost a constitution.
The first priority in its implementation will be education for all,” Obasanjo stated.
He elaborated that every Nigerian child should be in school for eleven years, up to secondary education. Within five years, the plan aims to ensure that every child is enrolled in school.
Additionally, adult education should be promoted to provide basic education equivalent to six years of formal schooling, with the goal of eradicating illiteracy within ten years.
“No matter what we do, if we do not find a way of educating, giving skills, and empowerment, over 20 million Nigerian children that are out of school today will end up being rich recruitment centers for drug addicts, Boko Haram, bandits, and other social misfits,” Obasanjo warned.
Obasanjo also urged the Federal Government to create a conducive environment for businesses to thrive, highlighting the importance of food and nutrition security through agribusiness, universal energy access, industrialization and manufacturing, and advancements in science, technology, innovation, and artificial intelligence (AI).
“The government should provide a conducive environment for the private sector to operate and thrive. Where the government is involved, other than as a policymaker and enabler, it should be based on private-public partnerships with the government as a junior partner,” the statement added.
Obasanjo’s comprehensive call to action underscores the urgent need for long-term strategies to address Nigeria’s educational and socio-economic challenges.