By Suleiman Shehu
Ibadan – Prof. Alex Ezeh, the Director, Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA), has challenged governments on the continent, particularly Nigeria, to build strong institutions for them to experience rapid development.
Ezeh made the suggestion while presenting a lecture at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, on Thursday in Ibadan.
The topic of the lecture was : “Building Strong Institutions for African Development’’.
Ezeh, who doubles as the Director of the African Population and Health Research Centre, said Africa at the moment was characterised by weak institutions, social rules and distorted accountability.
He said African universities must drive development in the continent through global thinking and conduct of relevant researches.
The renowned demographer and public health expert frowned at the localisation of universities in Nigeria and recruitment based on primordial sentiments rather on relevance and expertise.
Ezeh called for strong internal control environment, recruitment and retention of talents and a system of accountability in order to build strong institutions in Africa and Nigeria in particular.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event coincided with the inauguration of the institution’s e-library.
The library has over 20,000 published, unpublished books, non-book materials and equipped with computer and internet facility as well as the Postgraduate Library at the Department of Sociology.
Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, emphasised the use of information and communication technology for information and service delivery.
Olayinka said that the university would not relent in partnering with relevant organisations toward making it 21st century compliant. (NAN)