Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar yesterday at the annual Zik Lecture series held at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) Awka, tasked governments at all levels to pay more attention to the education sector by providing free education at the primary and secondary levels so as to relieve parents of the burden saying that philanthropists should also key into the programme.

Atiku, who was chairman at the 5th Zik Lecture which also marked the 10th year anniversary of the lecture series as spear headed by Senator Ben Ndi Obi said education would have eluded him if his parents were to pay for it.

He regretted that despite the expansion of education by government in the 1970s following oil boom, that government involvement in education issues has reduced in the recent times due to dwindling revenue and other challenges.

While harping on the importance of good quality education which he added is the primary responsibility of government, individuals and organisations, he urged them to step up by assisting in a variety of ways.

According to the former Vice President, the importance of education to modern societies and their people cannot be over-emphasised. He said; Education is too important to be left in the hands of government alone and good quality education should not depend solely on the ebbs and flows of government revenue.

He said: “It is education that took me from a small village in Adamawa to the position that I have attained today and helped me to make modest contributions that I have made so far to our country and humanity.

“I could not have gone to school if my parents were to pay for it and that is why I strongly believe that primary and secondary education should be free and compulsory in our country and indeed across Africa.

“That way, every child gets to acquire basic education to help them improve their lives and help us produce an enlightened citizenry. That is how it is in the countries we look up to as models of development.

“What education has done for me and my commitment to it is the reason why my biggest philanthropic endeavour has been in the field of education. In the educational village that I established in Yola, our focus is not just providing students with high quality education from kindergarten to the university; we are also focused on providing them with the skills to become leaders in their various communities and countries.

“More inter-African student exchange programme should be encouraged so that our students will have greater opportunities that are available out there.”

Delivering the Zik Lecture, the Special Guest of honour, former Prime Minister of Kenya, Mr. Raila Odinga, said that what the late Zik stood for represented the fact that “One man’s vision can change a nation and the world at large.

While lamenting that many of the continents elected leaders were authoritarian who cling to power, he called on African leaders to stand up in defense of democracy and avoid aiding big time corruption which he added will spark up more rebellion.

In his words, “Nation fails when the community and the government connive to enrich a few and leave the majority to wallow in poverty. Nation fails when the state is captured by few businessmen or individuals.

“What happened to the vision of Africa that Zik of Africa was passionate about? It would appear that governments were run for the benefit of just few people in the various countries.”

Odinga further stressed that corruption had become the order of the day in many African countries and warned that unless the situation changed, development would continue to be an illusion in the continent.

He stressed that Nigerians were very optimistic that there would be a reduction in the level of corruption in the country saying that government had the responsibility to ensure that the people’s optimism was achieved.

On her part, the wife of the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Professor Uche Azikiwe, who was visibly elated hailed Senator Ben Obi for keeping alive the legacies of Zik, assuring that the Azikiwe family would continue to look up to the university to see that the lecture series was sustained.

She said, "Senator Ben Obi, as you remember the old so you will also be remembered. My family and I will forever appreciate those who appreciate my husband. Zik’s legacy is think about the people and not yourself. Let us work towards imbibing that spirit.”

In his short speech, the organiser of Zik annual lecture in collaboration with Faculty of Social Science of the UNIZIK, Senator Obi, said he was drawn to organising annual lecture series for the late Zik because of his values and what he stood for as a politician.

Reminiscing on his journey in politics, Obi said, Zik was the reason I went into politics and I want to continue to uphold what he stands for as my mentor and one I looked up to.”

While thanking the Turaki Adamawa for gracing the occasion, he said that the former Vice President’s support to him while in his political sojourn starting from when his mandate was stolen in 2003 is the type late Zik would have given and thanked him for being an inspiration and a teacher.

•Photo shows, R-L; Zik’s wife, Uche Azikiwe; Fmr VP, Abubakar Atiku; Fmr Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga; VC of UNIZIK, Joseph Ahaneku; Fmr Gov. of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi; and Sen. Ben Obi at the 5th Zik’s Lecture series at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, on Wednesday.

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