From Washington, Accra, Abuja and elsewhere, global leaders, participating in the 12th Annual Centre for Values in Leadership Lecture/Symposium, at Muson Centre, in Lagos, with the theme, “Leadership and the Challenge of Ultra-poverty: Transforming the poorest of the poor” called for solidarity with the poor. Charging that the ultra-poor are wrapped in the dignity of their creator and can be a great asset to society, CVL Founder, Prof. Pat Utomi, welcomed the capacity packed audience and contributions from the chairman, former US Congressman, Jerry Weller, Ghana’s Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Fiifi Kwetey, Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin represented by UNFPA Country Director in Nigeria, Ms. Ratidzai Ndhlove, former Ekiti Sate Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and PDP Gubernatorial candidate in Lagos, Jimi Agbaje, among others. They identified lack of investment in education and agriculture as a major factor responsible for increased poverty level in Nigeria, especially among women and children. They, therefore, called on Government, Civil Society and the Private Sector to invest in education and agriculture, especially in women and children, as a means of eradicating poverty in Nigeria and Africa in general.
In his welcome address, Utomi identified the fight against poverty as something that is fundamental to human progress. He said that we are created as human beings, gift to one another and can create a just world where there will be enough opportunity available to all. One of the focus of CVL Mission is to help young people to take on social challenges. This burden translates to a vision of a better tomorrow and results in leadership mission. The annual lecture brings light to sources of such burden. Last year and this year were about poverty which has led him to spending time at such NGO as BRAC in Bangladesh.
His remarks were followed by those of Hon. Gerald Craig Jerry Weller who chaired the lecture. He identified education as key to eradicating poverty in Nigeria. . He gave startling statistics about poverty as it affects children in Nigeria. And pointed out that malnutrition is the underline cause of death and diseases among children in Nigeria. 50% of under 5 children die of starvation and malnutrition. 41% or 11 million children are stunted due to malnutrition. According to UNICEF, Nigeria ranks second in number of stunted children in the world. 2300 children under the age of 5 die every day due to starvation.
He urged Nigerians to sponsor one child with N50, 000 per year. And made a personal donation in the name of his daughter to sponsor one child to school, through the CVL quality education for the poor for free.
In his own presentation, Hon. Fiifi Kwetey (Minister for Food and Agriculture Ghana) stressed the importance of Agriculture and Food Security in the eradication of poverty in Nigeria. He identified Agriculture as the cornerstone for poverty reduction in Africa. He also stressed the importance of paradigm shift in the approach to agriculture in Africa. Hon. Kwetey opined that the private sector is the chief cornerstone of the continent’s transformation, and that growth and investment in agriculture is 11 times more effective in reducing poverty than in any other sector. 1% increase in GDP per capital in agriculture sector reduces the poverty gap 5 times more than 1% increase in GPD per capital in other sectors.
Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi spoke from his experience as Governor of a state that implemented a social safety net. He emphasized social protection and agriculture as keys to eradicating poverty. He also spoke about the inequality in many things across Nigeria which leads to poverty in many parts of Nigeria. He talked about the less than 1% of Nigerian elite population who consume 80% of the proceeds of Nigeria oil income leading to structural dysfunction of the Nigerian, as it becomes possible for a very few elite to exploit the majority of Nigerians. He further called on Nigerians to take a holistic approach to poverty eradication which must include fight in the areas of food security, environmental security and climate change.
The PDP gubernatorial candidate in Lagos, Jimi Agbaje pointed out that we all have a common purpose of developing our communities and our country. He said that we have the responsibility to fight poverty, and that education is the key to fighting poverty in Nigeria. He spoke about the need to have the right values to be able to help the less educated by getting our education strategies right so as to eradicate poverty.
NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT!
The CVL Ultra-Support Network has the “Gift A Child Campaign” for the special basic education project for the poorest of the poor as one, and the “Life empowerment Initiative” bus conductors and motor garage boys as another component. You can make a difference in the lives of the ultra-poor children and young many people in Nigeria by donating/sponsoring the CVL Ultra-Support Network. N50, 000 is sufficient to sponsor a child for a whole year school feeding programme. You can also donate in cash or in-kind towards the school building project/or the life empowerment initiative for rural youths through [email protected] or by calling 08067775533.