HERBERT MACAULAY@162: Nigeria’s devt doomed until we end primitive leadership selection — Jonathan

…Macaulay’s legacy inspires my education, skills devt agenda – Tinubu …Sanwo-Olu, Osuntokun, Jinadu, Osaghae, Arogundade speak …Bode George asks Tinubu to return Macaulay’s demolished ancestral home By Clifford Ndujihe, Dapo Akinrefon & Henry Obetta LAGOS – From the lips of eminent Nigerians including political leaders and scholars, it was an ocean tributes, yesterday, for late elder statesman and father of Nigeria’s nationalism, Sir Herbert Macaulay, who posthumously turned 162 years.

Speaking at a memorial colloquium organised by the Macaulay Heritage Foundation, speaker after speaker urged leaders to imbibe the political and leadership virtues of Macaulay to fast track Nigeria’s development. This was as the organisers urged the Federal Government to return the land where the General Post Office, Lagos, is built to the Macaulay to be turned into a site to house Macaulay’s monuments and legacies for future generation to learn from.

It’s time to end poor leadership selection process Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who chaired the event warned that Nigeria will continue to struggle with development unless it abandons what he described as primitive methods of selecting political leaders based on religion, ethnicity, language and other narrow considerations. He urged Nigerians to prioritise competence and merit in leadership recruitment, arguing that the country’s enormous human and natural resources would remain underutilised if political choices continued to be driven by primordial sentiments.

The colloquium, themed Nationalism and Nation Building, attracted prominent political leaders, academics, professionals and other stakeholders, including President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Professor Afolabi Leshi; Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former Minister of External Affairs, General Ike Nwachukwu, retd; former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode George; Emeritus Professor Jide Osuntokun; Professor Adele Jinadu; and Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Professor Eghosa Osaghae.

Jonathan identified leadership failures, institutional weaknesses, corruption, policy inconsistency, inadequate infrastructure, insecurity and over-dependence on raw material exports as major obstacles to Nigeria’s development. He also called for comprehensive democratic reforms, functional education, research-driven universities, stronger institutions and a national development agenda anchored on measurable targets and accountability.

Describing Nigeria’s democratic system as “opaque and amorphous”, he said it must be restructured to guarantee popular participation, the rule of law, respect for human rights, judicial independence, accountability, pluralism and a vibrant civil society. Paying tribute to Macaulay, whom he described as a man of remarkable intellect, courage and conviction, Jonathan said the nationalist’s struggle went beyond the transfer of political power from colonial authorities to Nigerians.

He said: “Herbert Macaulay was a man of remarkable intellect, courage and conviction. An engineer, journalist, political activist and public intellectual, he distinguished himself as one of the earliest voices to challenge colonial injustice and demand greater political participation and self-determination for Nigerians. Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu pay tributes President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Foluso Afolabi Lesi, described Macaulay as a visionary leader, patriot and fearless advocate of justice and self-determination.

He said education remained one of the greatest ways to preserve the nationalist’s legacy, noting that the Federal Government was implementing reforms to improve access to quality education, strengthen skills development and promote innovation under the Renewed Hope Agenda. The President cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, skills development initiatives and start-up grants for young entrepreneurs as interventions aimed at preparing Nigerian youths for the global economy.

Tinubu commended the Macaulay family, George and the foundation for preserving the nationalist’s memory, urging Nigerians to emulate his integrity, courage and selfless service. Governor Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, reaffirmed Lagos State’s commitment to collaborating with the foundation to preserve Macaulay’s legacy.

The governor, who received the Herbert Macaulay Award for Leadership in Public Service, Cultural Ambassadorship and Urban Development, said his administration had pursued improvements in transportation, infrastructure, public institutions and opportunities for Lagos residents. He said the state was committed to modernising Lagos without losing its historical identity and cultural character.

The President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engr. Ali Alimasuya Rabi