Dare Babarinsa, Chairman, Gaskia Media Ltd/
We salute Professor Oladipo Adamolekun for his courage and persistence in providing solutions to our political and social problems even when we are unwilling to take his prescriptions.
With the unveiling of his new book, Reflections on Governance and Development in Nigeria, Professor Adamolekun reaffirms his status as a tireless advocate for progress. He is a man of ideas, firmly believing, as many great thinkers throughout history have, that ideas rule the world. One of his most consistent proposals is the urgent need to devolve power from the centre. Without this, he warns, the Nigerian federation may eventually collapse—choking, metaphorically, on too much power and responsibility concentrated at the top.
It is noteworthy that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has, in recent months, taken a bold step by establishing regional development commissions aligned with the six geopolitical zones. While this is a novel initiative, whether it evolves into a coherent system that advances true devolution of power remains to be seen. Nonetheless, it is an act of political courage—no easy feat in a system that consumes vast resources but delivers little in terms of development and public welfare.
Before the colonial era, African states and societies were governed by their own philosophies and systems. Among the Yoruba, governance was rooted in the mythic authority of Oduduwa, regarded as the progenitor of the race. All land was said to belong to him, and his descendants who received crowns from Ile-Ife were believed to possess a divine right to rule in any domain they established. These rulers, tracing their lineage directly to the House of Oduduwa, were considered equal and independent in their respective realms.
However, three disruptive forces emerged in the 19th century. The first was Ibadan—a military state established by soldiers with no direct lineage to Oduduwa. Its leaders disregarded the traditional order and sought to build an empire of previously independent Yoruba states, triggering a civil war that lasted decades. The second was Ilorin, once a provincial town in the old Oyo Empire. Its military leader rebelled, declared independence, and was ultimately overthrown. Ilorin was subsequently overtaken by a foreign political ideology that preached equality—yet practiced a form of supremacy in which the Fulani man was “more equal” than others. The third was Lagos, a hub of the transatlantic slave trade in the 18th century, eventually seized by colonial powers claiming moral superiority.
Faced with these challenges, the Yoruba political elite failed to unite around a coherent philosophy or response. The consequences of that failure still linger today.
At the heart of Professor Adamolekun’s philosophy is the conviction that ideas must guide Africa’s development. When sound concepts are embraced by the elite, it becomes far harder for external or internal disruptions to derail a society. He draws parallels with contemporary events such as the rise of Donald Trump in the United States, which he sees as a form of ideological disruption.
Nigeria’s history offers a powerful example in Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Guided by a vision to create a better life for his people, Awolowo embarked on sweeping social reforms. Nearly 70 years after leaving office, he remains one of the most influential figures in West African politics. The late Chief Jobi Fele once lamented that while Awolowo cooked a fine soup, there was no one left to warm it—a sharp critique of the intellectual and ideological vacuum that followed his departure.
During the anti-colonial struggle, leaders like Awolowo and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe embraced Pan-Africanism, confronting colonialism and its aftermath. This movement led to the creation of institutions like the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU), as well as ECOWAS, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the East African Community (EAC). Today, African leaders must find the courage to build on these foundations, forging stronger political unions to withstand the disruptions of a rapidly changing global order.
Africa—and Nigeria in particular—urgently needs thinkers and visionaries like Professor Adamolekun, a recipient of the Nigerian National Merit Award. His academic and professional achievements—as an author, a university professor, and a top World Bank executive—make him a priceless asset to both nation and continent. He knows the road to a better future, one where Africa claims its rightful place in the global village.
It’s time to leverage what we have to get what we need. The future is bright—if we have the wisdom and courage to grasp it. Only the right ideas can guide us forward.
It is time Africa shed the old image of being the poorest part of humanity while residing on the richest portion of the earth.
Congratulations, Professor Adamolekun. May your ideas find fertile ground to germinate and flourish.
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