Former Kaduna senator and social critic, Shehu Sani, has said that Nigeria should not only be the giant of Africa in population, but in all sectors of the economy.
He spoke on the sidelines of the Inaugural Memorial Lecture of Prince Emeka Obasi, the late Publisher of Business Hallmark, with the title: ‘If this Giant Must Walk; Manifesto for a New Nigeria’.
Sani, who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th National Assembly and served as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, said Nigeria was not yet where it should be.
“We are a nation of 220 million people and we pride ourselves as a Giant of Africa. Well, population is an asset, but what do we use that population for?
“We should be giant in manufacturing, giant in export; giant in shipbuilding; giant in car manufacturing; giant in information technology; giant in agricultural; giant in education. “Nigeria is not there yet, we shouldn’t just be giant in population,” Sani said.
He expressed shock why the country’s problems had remained intractable, calling for concrete actions for solutions to the country’s challenges.
According to him, if Nigeria does not have water to drink and power supply with all rivers around, if there is hunger with the arable land around, the problem is not God but self-inflicted.
“Nigeria has everything God should give us. Where is the solution? The first thing is, Nigeria should address the security challenges we are facing today.
“I’m a bit impressed because progress is being made, but we need to bring an end to terrorists and bandits that are destroying our country, kidnapping our people,” he added.
The former lawmaker, who said that there was a need for huge investment in science and technology, also said that the nation needed an all out war against terrorists, with well equipped and funded security agencies, saying without security, ”Nigeria cannot walk”.
Nigeria should be giant in development, not only in population – Shehu Sani