Former Osun State governor and elder statesman, Chief Bisi Akande, has urged Nigerian governors to prioritise free and quality education as the country prepares to mark the 70th anniversary of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Universal Primary Education programme.
The anniversary, organised by Independent Newspapers, will take place on October 9 at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, featuring a public lecture and a gala awards night.
Speaking in Abuja ahead of the event, Akande said Awolowo’s 1955 initiative transformed the Western Region and should serve as a model for present-day leaders.
“Awolowo believed education was the beginning and the end of man,” Akande said. “Money makes nobody great, but knowledge and innovation endure. Educated minds are symbols of progress.” He criticised the federal takeover of schools under military rule in the 1970s, saying it weakened standards and reduced the value of certificates.
Akande added that governors must recommit to education if Nigeria is to achieve meaningful development.
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