Former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim said the only way Nigeria would thrive is when it could maintain peace domestically and earn the respect of the international community.
Speaking at the 2020 Zik Awards, where he was awarded Zik’s prize on Sunday, Mr Anyim stressed the importance of engaging with young people to discuss Nigeria’s future.
“For Nigeria to survive and thrive, we must have peace at home and respect abroad. For that, we need leaders that must connect and engage with the people, especially the youths,” the former senate president said.
“Such leaders must place the youths at the centre of every nation-building effort in order to move from the current valley of despair to the height of their potential.”
“Our leaders must be skilled in the science and art of good governance. They must be visionary and ready to keep pace with contemporary social, economic and technological challenges,” he added.
Mr Anyim continued by stating that Industry 4.0 was just around the corner and would come with several artificial intelligence and technological innovations that would present more challenges for the country if it was not addressed soon.
“In the next 25 years, oil companies and oil exploration will continue to phase out. This will certainly depress economies that are oil dependant with consequential socio-economic effects. For that, we need leadership that understands the challenges, the imperatives and concomitant of the 4th Industrial Revolution,” he noted.
