Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo has called for proper population management in the country, expressing the fear that the geometric population explosion without a corresponding socioeconomic development, may implode the country.
Speaking at a mentoring session for students of some selected schools across the country, organised by Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (STAGE), Obasanjo pointed out that Nigeria’s increasing population must be properly managed to engender national development.
At the event tagged ‘Raising the Next Wave of Innovative Leaders Through Entrepreneurship’, held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, the former president declared that no nation can attain the desired development without accurate population data.
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The former leader noted that some countries such as China, India, and others with large population have harnessed their sizes to espouse socioeconomic development, urging the Nigerian government to work towards harnessing the potentials of the country’s large population.
While calling for more actions in population management, Obasanjo charged the young students to uphold the virtues of integrity, honesty, and good moral standing, to take them to their respective chosen careers in life.
According to him, efforts must be geared towards nurturing a new set of business leaders through entrepreneurship to tackle some of the economic challenges in the country.
‘Mentorship and motivation of this nature may just be the tonic that will fire the necessary patriotism for national development in these budding leaders of tomorrow’, Obasanjo stressed.
Speaking earlier at the event, the Republic of Korea’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Young-Chae, who equally raised concerns over the growing population of Nigeria without a corresponding economic growth, however, promised his home country’s harmonious bilateral cooperation, including entrepreneurship development for young Nigerians.
In his remarks, the Chairman of STAGE, Agwu Amogu, disclosed that the programme was initiated at the California State University, USA in 2002 and currently operational in over 32 countries across all the continents of the world.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
