 |
|
From
Left: Prof. Lai Oso, Dean of Lagos State University-Adebola Adegunwa
School of Communication, LASUAASOC; Guest lecturer, Prof. Idowu
Sobowale; Dr. Laiwola Rahiman, Head, Department of Political
Science, LASU and Prof. Andrew Moemeka, shortly after the lecture
|
As
the Nation rolls out its drum to celebrate 100 years of the
amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates, next year,
Political Communication expert, Prof. Idowu Akanbi Sobowale has
charged government, stakeholders and citizens to join hands together
in building an egalitarian and peaceful society.
Sobowale
made this charge, Friday, while delivering the 35th Public
Lecture of Covenant University (CU), Ota, Ogun State, entitled:
“Communication, Politicians and True Democracy,” at the
university's Chapel.
Chronicling
the history of the nation, he explained that, “Nigeria has gone
through a chequered history in its relatively short span of existence
as an independent nation. Next year (2014) will mark the centenary of
the amalgamation of the Northern and the Southern Protectorates to
form the entity Nigeria. In this period, the country has cascaded
through different phases of experience- colonial subjugation, inter
and intra-ethnic wrangling, a bloody military coup d'etat, a civil
war, then, a long spell of military rule, return to democratic
dispensation and an uneasy co-habitation among the various ethnic
components of the Federation.”
Arguing
that the country's history have been spiced with a large doses of
maladministration, nepotism, corruption in high and low places and
general discontentment, the Professor of Journalism noted that the
attempt of all citizens “is not only to retrace our steps but also
launch out to build a more just, egalitarian, prosperous and peaceful
society.”
Meanwhile,
in his 45 minutes interactive lecture, the don however blamed
Nigeria's stunted growth and development of appropriate democratic
culture to the ineptitude of politicians. He said: “The lack of
useful communication from our politicians or the unwillingness on
their part to communicate beneficially has resulted in the stunted
growth and development of appropriate democratic culture in Nigeria.
This has also affected many facets of our national life.”
Adding,
“Those who govern us do what they like with impunity. The majority
of the people who bear the brunt of the misrule that goes on in our
land have not been cultured or empowered to ask questions and demand
explanations when things do not seem right. How many of our
politicians go to their constituency offices regularly to be
consulted or informed of the activities going on in their
constituencies or on the needs of their people? How many of them have
formed the habit of reporting their activities regularly to their
electors? If our legislators adopt this reporting system, it is
definite that greater due diligence would be applied to government
business.”
Sobowale,
who was three times Special Adviser and later Commissioner for
Education in the first and third civilian governments of Lagos State,
nonetheless, submitted that for a just and egalitarian Nigerian
society, “Politicians need to engage those they claim to be
representing in active communication,” adding, “the critical
stakeholders, journalists and other communicators, political and
appointive office holders, and the citizens themselves, should play
their roles well to ensure that Nigeria transits to the next level of
democratic growth and development.”
In
his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, CU, Prof. Charles Korede Ayo, who
also represented the Chancellor, Bishop David Oyedepo, (Ph.D),
described Sobowale as an oracle, who has made his mark in public
administration and training of professional media practitioners.
Corroborating
Sobowale's stance on how government can be accountable to the people,
the VC sued for a transition to e-government in Nigeria.
His
words: “All over the world, especially Africa, e-government, the
application of Information Communication Technology (ICT) to public
administration has not worked. E-government will no doubt, enhance
government to government interaction; government to employees
interaction; government to business interaction and government to
citizens interaction. Without a working technique towards government
to citizens interaction, e-government will fail anywhere.”
He
however, argued that, “In so far, Nigeria continues to win election
through the ballot box, government can't be accountable to the
people.”
In
his goodwill message, Secretary to the Ogun State Government (SSG),
Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa, who represented Gov. Ibikunle Amosun,
lauded the intellectual issues of governance raised by Prof.
Sobowale's lecture.
Giving
reasons as to why Ogun people never opposed the ongoing holistic
demolition exercises in the state, to give way for road
constructions, Adeoluwa disclosed that the government sensitized the
people before hand.
His
words: “All over the world, there is no development without
sacrifice. What we did was that we engaged stakeholders and the
people of Ogun before, during and after the demolition exercises.
Gov. Amosun has never failed to mention that we are the product of
the masses. Therefore, we communicated to the masses before the
exercise. We don't demolish without sensitizing our people,” he
said.
On
his part, one of Sobowale's students and Vice Chancellor, Lead City
University (LCU), Ibadan, Prof. Olufemi Onabajo, described him as a
mentor, who has made his marks in the academia and politics. He said:
“I was suppose to be somewhere else but, the lecturer of the day,
who was my lecturer sent me a text message, which reads- 'I order you
to come.' I want to thank God for sparing his life, and I pray God
Almighty to continue to use him to mentor Mass Communication scholar
across the world.”
