NIGERIA MUST INSIST ON EDUCATED LEADERS

Education is not an end in itself but a means. Being educated does not assure one of societal relevance because it is only an opportunity meant to be seized.

Education then is not a blank check to success but we must all admit that education, especially formal education offers exposure and sharpens minds. Research has shown that educated people are smarter than uneducated people and the extent of one’s education determines the degree of their exposure and the level of their intelligence.

It will interest you to know that about 35% of those in the National assembly do not have above a secondary school leaving certificate. Thus we can hardly say that these leaders are educated.

The reason being that, gone are the days when secondary school leaving certificate held sway. In this age and time, those with such degrees are considered rather uneducated.

As a matter of fact, many employers will not employ people with only secondary school leaving certificate as they will insist on university degrees and even Master’s degree as a prerequisite for consideration.

Thus, it is sad that those who have been saddled with the law making responsibilities for the country cannot boast of a university degree. These are men and women who are supposed to chart a course for the country but are intellectually deficient.

Maybe I should blame the law because it is the law that permits people to contest for those positions armed with only secondary school leaving certificate. As tempting as this may be, I will not blame the law because there is no way such men will amend the law when it stands to favour them.

However, I will blame the people instead for voting such intellectually deficient crop into the National assembly.

So in case you have been wondering why nothing reasonable comes out of the National assembly, you now have your reason. Little wonder they fight and exchange blows during legislative sessions like touts and say all sort of nonsense because that is what they really are.

If we must progress as a nation, we must insist on leaders who are educated with sharp minds to think and act our way out of difficult situations such as the subsisting recession.

Nigerians must vote for men who possess education, enterprise and problem solving faculties to lead them. Employers insist on all these for their companies but don’t feel it is necessary for the country. We must do better.

In this age and time, people with secondary school certificates only get employed as gateman, messengers, gardeners, clerks, shopkeepers, housemaids, and so on. Sadly, these are our leaders.

I am of the opinion that such positions should even be occupied by people with no less than a master’s degree owing to the level of educational and intellectual development in the world. If a youth of 25 can have a master’s degree, why shouldn’t a man of 50?