The founder of Afe Babalola University, Afe Babalola, has charged engineers to join in the crusade for the rebirth of Nigeria through having a new constitution that would allow professionals form majority of the National Assembly.
Babalola, who queried the number of engineers in the National Assembly at present despite the importance of the profession to development, urged them to wake up to prevent the country from collapsing.
The ABUAD founder spoke in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday during the ‘2nd Dr. A.A. Esan Annual Lecture’ organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Ekiti State branch titled, “Economic development through entrepreneurship and skill acquisition.”
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He said, “As a very important body that holds the key to any development in any country, I urge you to go back home and join the crusade for a new constitution where engineers will play a major role in the revival of the country.
“Our problem is certainly the 1999 Constitution. A new constitution which will enable professionals like doctors, engineers, lawyers, and bankers, etc. form majority at each house is urgently needed.”
Babalola is advocating for a technocratic government but he forgets that there are many developed countries that do not have “professionals” in their elected political offices that are prospering.
What matters is not that the professionals hold office but that those in office are able to leverage the knowledge of the professionals. The key to prosperity is utilizing the knowledge not putting people in the Senate because they have a degree.
A technocracy would do much for Nigeria but the way he suggests it should be implemented is not the way.