Roadmap to a New Nigeria That Is Possible – Part II
Education and Healthcare: The Foundation of a Renewed Nigeria
Recall that on July 1st, in Part 1 of "My Vision for a Productive and Prosperous Nigeria," I outlined the broad framework of my proposed roadmap for national renewal. In it, I emphasised that the transformation of Nigeria must begin with rebuilding our human capital through quality education and healthcare, supported by reforms in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), character and civic education, and strategic investments that will move our nation from a consumption-driven economy to a production-driven one. I promised to follow up with other parts in the coming weeks and months.
Today, July 16th, in the middle of July, I wish to expand on these two critical pillars - education and healthcare - because they are the bedrock upon which every prosperous nation is built. They are the cornerstones of the foundation that will ensure that a son of nobody can become somebody and remove many from the ranks of the disaffected who often become tools in the insecurity challenges confronting us.
Evidence from around the world shows that quality education and accessible healthcare are among the clearest distinctions between thriving nations and lagging ones. Princeton University Nobel Prize-winning economist Angus Deaton highlights this reality in his book, “The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality.”
Nothing, therefore, could be further from the truth than the claim by some young people that “education is a scam.” Education, when combined with good health, provides the ladder for individual upward mobility and drives economic growth for the nation.
We must become more intentional about aligning education with our national priorities, as Singapore did, and challenge our country to value education in the same way Deng Xiaoping repeatedly urged China to do from 1978 onwards, with the remarkable transformation we see today.
We will work through commissions that strengthen collaboration among the tiers of government, ensuring that primary education is domiciled at the community and local government levels, with strong parental involvement and curricula that are sensitive to local economic factor endowments and the value chains derived from them.
State governments will be supported to expand high-quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), as well as general secondary education, through targeted grants and incentives.
We are also developing schemes that will enable universities to focus more deliberately on specialised areas of teaching and research, making them globally competitive while producing a workforce equipped for the demands of the future.
A NEW Nigeria is POssible. -PO
BARKIN LADI WEEPS AGAIN... HOW MANY MORE GRAVES MUST BE DUG BEFORE THE WORLD LISTENS? 😭💔
My heart is heavy. My eyes are filled with tears once again.
Today, the people of Barkin Ladi stood beside three fresh graves. Three innocent lives, cut short by another night of violence. On the night of Saturday, 4 July, armed attackers descended on the Rantya Gwol community, leaving behind death, pain, and broken families. On Sunday, 5 July, those three victims were laid to rest in a solemn mass burial.
As I watched another burial, I could not stop asking myself: How many more fathers? How many more mothers? How many more children must die before someone hears our cries?
Imagine the pain of a woman whose husband never returned home.
One moment they were together, perhaps sharing their evening meal, praying with their children, and thanking God for another day. Then suddenly, gunfire shattered the silence of the night. Fear filled the air. Families ran in different directions seeking safety.
When the shooting stopped, she searched desperately for her husband, calling his name with trembling lips. Instead of hearing his voice, she found his lifeless body. The man who had promised to protect his family now lay motionless before her.
Who will comfort her lonely nights?
Who will answer the questions of the little children who keep asking, "Where is Daddy? When is Daddy coming home?"
What words can erase the memory of a wife watching the man she loved carried away for burial?
These are the tears that no camera can truly capture. These are the wounds that no headline can fully describe.
Today, three more graves were closed. Three more families returned home without their loved ones. Three more empty seats remain at dinner tables. Three more voices have been silenced.
The Bible reminds us in 34:18:
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
And in 12:15 we are commanded:
"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn."
Today, we mourn with Barkin Ladi.
We pray for every widow, every orphan, every injured survivor, and every family whose hearts have been shattered by this tragedy.
May God comfort those who weep.
May He heal those who are wounded.
May He strengthen those whose faith is being tested.
And may He grant lasting peace to every community living in fear.
My brethren, let us not grow weary in prayer. Let us continue to lift our voices for those who cannot speak and stand with those who are suffering.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted ( 5:4).
Lord Jesus, wipe away every tear. Protect Your people. Comfort the brokenhearted. Let justice prevail, and let peace return to Barkin Ladi and every troubled community.
Amen.
The North remembers! 😂
Tinubu barb El Rufai.
The North remembers! 😂
Tinubu charge El Rufai.
The North remembers! 😂
El Rufai's mother died while El Rufai was in custody.
The North remembers! 😂
They packed El Rufai again just after burying his mother.
The North remembers! 😂
Over 2 months in custody.
The North remembers! 😂
It is either the North has developed amnesia or they don't remember shit. 😂
In less than a fortnight, toddlers will have spent two months (60 whole days) in the forest with animals in the name of kidnappers.
Unlike the ‘bring back our girls’ that went international, there isn’t even a hashtag for these kids.
Nigerians, it’s not fair o!!!💔
The Disturbing Reports from Osun State University
I have read with deep concern the troubling reports of soldiers invading students’ hostels at Osun State University, Osogbo, during which students were allegedly assaulted, humiliated, dispossessed of their personal belongings, and female students subjected to degrading treatment, including rape.
Every Nigerian deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Our Armed Forces are renowned for their courage, discipline, and sacrifice in defending our nation. They are not known for such barbarity against the very citizens they are sworn to protect.
I therefore urge the military high command to conduct a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation into these allegations. Anyone found culpable should be brought to justice. Holding offending personnel accountable will not only ensure justice for the victims but also preserve the honour and integrity of our Armed Forces while serving as a deterrent against future abuses.
A nation that respects human dignity builds confidence in its institutions. We must never tolerate impunity or the abuse of power.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
PRESS STATEMENT: - NDC Demands Immediate Sack of Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila Over Massive Corruption Scandal Involving Fake Agency and Sale of Appointments.