FG’s change mantra may end up as a mirage if – Cleric

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By; Bayo Akamo, Ibadan.
Founder of Shafaudeen In Islam worldwide and President of Ajagun Esin Consultative Forum (AECF), Professor Sabit Ariyo Olagoke has declared that the “change Mantra” clamoured and attained by Nigerians would be a mirage if there is no genuine synergy between the executive, legislature, judiciary, the media and religious leaders in the country.
Professor Olagoke said this in Ibadan while delivering a lecture titled “Nigeria Change Matra: how it begins with you” at the first anniversary of “Straight Times Magazine”, a monthly periodical being published by Alhaji Kunle Bakare.
The Cleric pointed out that as at present, there is the need for the present administration in the country to fashion out ways of meeting the yawning of the masses which he said has not yet been met as a result of rising incidents of corruption which has led to unemployment, insecurity and absence of basic amenities in the country.
“Unemployment rate increases as poverty indices increases. These two are challenges before any government desiring to effect change. Nigeria government turned governance into business as usual toying with people’s lives into impoverishment. Our desire for change because of hardship brought about Change Mantra,” he said.
He recalled that in the past “government threw out professional ethics with impunity politicizing business of most programme and project implementation,” and that “policy somersault renders all economic programmes and projects useless”.
“Most companies folded up and relocated to the neighbouring countries because all infrastructures are in comatose, the power sector infrastructure in particular. The voice reached the heaven and APC replaced PDP”.
According to Professor Olagoke, the much desired change “cannot be achieved without the enabling environment of prudence, zero tolerance to corruption and discipline and determination of purpose”.
“The Change Mantra is a challenge to clear the mess of debt, infrastructure and moral decay for a new era of accelerated development where transparency and accountability would dictate the pace of due process in governance and fear of God in the polity. We are all stakeholders. Do not be parasitic but be symbiotic for the nation to benefit from you”.
Speaking further, he said the two challenges now before the federal government are “curbing corruption to the zero order and rebranding the people into a positive attitudinal change of patriotism”.
While charging the judiciary to “bring offenders to justice through due process, no matter how highly placed they may be, he also tasked the legislature to shun corruption and feel the pulse of the nation for a right and passionate legislation that will improve the lives of the people stressing that “Do not connive with the executive to cheat on state..”
On the part of the Executive, he urged them to ensure good governance, stressing that  “management through total quality control measure or due process with zero tolerance for corruption and impunity is required. Uphold accountability, transparency and equity in wealth distribution without marginalizing any sector of the society.
Professor Olagoke while urging Nigeria media practitioners to maintain high ethical standard and sustain their roles among which is being the watchdog of the society” lauded Alhaji Bakare for venturing into news paper business despite the high production cost of newspaper and magazine.

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