What seems to be a glimpse of hope recently came the way of Nigerians as the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Chukwuma Soludo announced that our nation’s economy will soon be out of recession considering the current socioeconomic key indicators.
Professor Soludo made this declaration in Lagos while speaking at the 5th annual seminar titled; “Retsetssion; Succeeding in Recession”, organized by the Uche Ahubelem Centre for Human Development (UACHD) on Wednesday, 23rd August 2017 at the Shell Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan , Lagos.
Speaking at the event, Professor Chukwuma Soludo told the gathering that…
our nation will soon be out of recession but quickly added that the scar of the recession will definitely not leave us anytime soon. In his words, with the crude oil becoming history in few years time coupled with our nation’s expected population explosion, we should be thinking on how to succeed beyond recession as no one will do that for us, he added.
In the same fashion, the Economics Professor postulated that come the year 2050, our nation’s population shall be in the neighbourhood of 400 million people of which 300million will be youths and young adults making us one of the most populous nations in the world. This in like manner, should be of concern to us in addition to the fact that about Three million Nigerians enters the labour market annually without an adequate job on the ground to cater for this teaming number.
In the light of the above, he informed the gathering that the purpose of this information is not to scare them but assist them in planning as individuals and as a nation warning that the country shall be blessed with more recessions in the future and all that is required is for the people to be proactive in planning.
Equally important according to him is the manner in which they approach the current population structure, according to him, the era when the population was viewed as a curse is gone as it is currently perceived as a great asset to the nation’s economy ladened with population dividends.
In the same token, Professor Soludo advised Nigerians to be ready for another round of recession as it is part of human existence. He, however, went ahead to reel out steps which he christened ‘the seven key principles’ that will insulate the people from further harsh effects of economic recession. In his words, people need to be alive to their dreams backing it with action as ‘dream without action is mere hallucination’. Other actions expected of us according to the former Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) includes but not limited to persistence in our endeavors, building of networks as we cannot go far walking alone. In his final submission, Professor Soludo advised the participants to emulate Uche Ahubelem , the Founder of UACHD and his group by getting involved in community service as that is what we shall be remembered of after we must have departed this earthly stage.
In a related development, the founder, Centre for Value in Leadership, Professor Patrick Utomi while making his presentation told the gathering that this recession the nation is going through is self-inflicted occasioned by the inability of the citizens to doing the right thing. He lamented that Nigeria is an entrepreneurial environment with very few entrepreneurs. These abnormalities he suggested could be corrected if we become more disciplined as a people, as discipline affects culture. He further stressed the need for building an impeccable character as a people adding that ‘when the character is lost, everything is lost’.
Similarly, Lanre Olusola, A Mind, Emotion and Behavioral Coach while pointing out the thirteen mistakes that people make during recession advised the participants to view recession as a period that money moves from one point to the other, and called on all to be well positioned economically to look into the future in order to harness the gains of this prevailing economic situation.
Other resource persons that graced the occasion include Mrs. Abimbola Adebankin, The Chief Executive Officer, Advantage Health Africa, Debo Adejana, Chief Executive Officer, Realty Point Limited and Ini Abimbola, Chief Executive Officer, Thistle Prisis Consulting Limited.
While expressing her joy and appreciation for the wonderful opportunity provided her with this life changing seminar, a participant, Victoria Chukwura thanked the organizers of the programme even as she promised to put the knowledge gained into use.
by Jerome-Mario Utomi