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Beyond the Colloquium on Africa’s Future:The Challenge of Education and Corrupt Attitude
Bola A. Akinterinwa
Africa has always been a major issue in international relations, especially in the foreign policies of many countries of the world. Africa is generally known as a terra cognita for raw materials for which the whole world, especially the colonial powers, have been scrambling. Some see Africa as a continent of exploited people, widespread poverty, pit-holes, political instability, insecurity, and non-development.
And true enough, more than half of African population live in extreme poverty. The continent still largely suffers from weak governance and inadequate industrialization. The educational systems in Africa are good in producing job seekers but not good enough to produce job creators. As such, Africa has a high level of unemployment. Even though Africa has critical raw materials, it still remains largely primary producers. Healthcare and educational systems are fraught with poor infrastructures. Political governance systems are such that leaders hardly accept to leave power. They want to die in power.
Most regrettably, the whole of Africa is often treated as a country like the United States, Russia and China. Africa is not a country but one of the regions of the world. It is a continent of 54 sovereign states with rich cultures. In spite of this, a single sovereign state can act unilaterally with the whole of Africa. France laid the political foundation with the establishment of Franco-African summits. We have Japan-Africa, Russia-Africa, China-Africa, etc. summits. By implication, the continent of Africa is being treated as nothing more than the equivalent of one country. The extent of bad governance, myopia of African leaders do not allow them to see clearly the shame in it. They are all happy to frolic around to accept pottages on a platter of gold. This situation has not been helpful in addressing unemployment and underemployment in Africa.
In spite of more than three decades of post-independence governance, African countries are yet to find their feet. They are still largely dependent on export of primary products. They accepted to accommodate unwanted criminals in the United States. It is apparently against this background that a colloquium on ‘The Future of Africa’ was organized as part of the Festschrift in honour of Professor Tunde Adeniran who will turn 80 tomorrow. On Thursday, 25 September, 2025, a Festschrift was unveiled along with four other books at the University of Ibadan.
The Festschrift
The Festschrift is entitled “Intellection and Global Governance: A Festschrift in Honour of Tunde Adeniran.” As a title, it is quite thought-provoking. First, how are the countries of the world generally governed in such a way that they are different from Africa’s type of political governance? How is the management of global governance done that Africa has not been able to benefit from it? The general methodological framework for the Festschrift is derived from the word, intellection, on which much attention was focused in our last column here. Today, the review of the Festschrift can be done at two levels: format and content analysis.
At the level of formatting of the Festschrift, it has a pagination of 561 pages. It is published in September 2025 by the Kraft Books Limited in limp edition, cased edition without jacket, and cased edition with jacket. The dimension of the Festschrift is 9” by 6”. The paper used for printing is about 75 grams and light-yellowish in colour. It is printed in English language with British and American spellings. The Festschrift is chapterised into 22 that are grouped into four sections: “Conceptual and Theoretical Perspectives”; “Conflict, Security, and Governance in Africa”; “Bureaucracy, Democracy, Governance, and Development”; and “The Media, Society and National Discourse.” The Festschrift has an ISBN-13 number, that is to say the Festschrift has a modern international standard book number, adopted in 2007 in order to enhance the availability of unique identifiers worldwide. Before 2007, it was the ISBN-10 of 10 digits that was in vogue.
The editors are sound scholars: Professor Gani Yoroms and Chief Femi Melefa. Professor Yoroms is Professor of Political Science with specialization in political economy and international relations. He was an ECOWAS Regional Research Coordinator. Chief Femi Melefa is a Management Consultant with a diverse background and accomplishments. He was a former Director, Tertiary Education Trust fund (TETFund).
At the second level of content analysis, the editors did not insist on a uniform methodology because of the variety of articles with multidisciplinary characters. As the editors put it, ‘the academic orientation of individual contributors dictate their methodologies and mode of inquiry.’ Professor Elochukwu A. Ucheazu explained this point further in his foreword to the book thus: ‘Most of the scholars whom the reader will encounter in this book are eminent in their own fields and distinguished in their contributions to scholarship. They do not only spread the thoughts of others but endeavour to contribute to new systems of thoughts.’
In Section 1, which focuses on conceptual and theoretical perspectives, the point of emphasis that cuts across the four chapters, are issues of governance and nations building in Africa. For instance, Professor Gani Yoroms and Chief Femi Melefa, noted in Chapter 1, how Tanzania, Guinea, Angola, Mozambique and Ghana, etc. resisted subordination to neocolonial Western imperialism and how they were sanctioned. They not only drew attention to Professor Tunde Adeniran’s lamentations that the postcolonial rule never succeeded in meeting the aspirations of Africa, but also explained his strong belief that democracy is ‘the only model for Africa to take grasp of and address its challenges.’
In the same vein, in Chapter 2, Dr. Kayode Fayemi noted that ‘Professor Adeniran belongs to the finest traditions of politically-responsible intellectuals in African governance. He neither faces East nor West, but forward as Kwame Nkrumah admonished… He is an unrepentant patriot and nationalist, and no slave to dogma.’ More important, in the eyes of Dr. Fayemi, ‘politics does not consist of fulfilling short-term wishes alone. A politician should also seek to win people over to his own ideas even when unpopular. For politics must entail convincing voters that there are things which the politician recognizes or comprehend better than they do, and that it is for this reason that they should vote for him and place their fate in his hands…’
Professor Ayo Fadahunsi in Chapter 3 investigated the development philosophies from the time of Plato to date and drew the lessons for nations building in Africa. He discussed Professor Adeniran as another Platonist and philosopher king. As he put it, ‘Adeniran in the midst of the muddles of corruption in Nigeria, has not delivered less of what is required of a philosopher-king. His exhibition of a platonic zeal and attitude in his course of serving his father’s land (Nigeria) cannot be swept under the carpet.’
In Chapter 4, Professor Bola A. Akinterinwa provided an exegesis of the evolution of Africa’s International Relations from 1960, placing an emphasis on how Africa makes a step forward and two steps backward. He described it as “from moving forward to retour en arrière”. He explicated several questions: Africa’s quest for equal smart partnership to lessen dependency on the developed partners, foreign economic relations, quest for UNSC Permanent Seat, as well as the post-colonial paternalism versus African solutions to African problems.
In Section 2 on conflict, security, and governance, the main focus is on management of conflict, peace and security. For example, can Africa be free from terrorism and violent extremism, armed conflicts and banditry, organized crime and cyber security?
In the view of Vice Admiral Adedeji, A G, all these problems of insecurity can be well addressed if “the capacities of national, sub regional, and regional security mechanisms are strengthened, made fully operational and grounded in respect and protection of human rights and the rule of law (vide Chapter 5). Using Guinea Bissau as a case study for conflict management, Professor Remi Ajibewa and Daniel Odunyigbo argued in Chapter 6 that ‘ECOWAS as the regional body needs to continue to evolve in response to the changing circumstances and casual factors while also keeping a step ahead to forestall current and potential future threat to peace and security in the region.’
Femi Omotosho and Olalekan, in their analysis of the post-cold war Nigerian foreign policy in Chapter 7, believed that ‘Nigeria must continue to explore all the diplomatic channels to secure international assistance required to decimate the terror groups operating within her borders. More important, they recommended that Nigeria’s Foreign Policy should be inward-focused. International insecurity from the perspective of COVID-19 pandemic is explicated in Chapter 8 by Ayotunde Ishola Bewaji. He noted that ‘the net consequences of this COVID-19 pandemic is that societies within the various African countries and diaspora must look inward, devise survival strategies to face the challenges which are bound to come, by particularly reactivating the indigenous knowledge systems about vaccination, inoculation, etc.
Professor Isaac Olawale Albert observed in His Chapter 9 on community engagement in counter insurgency operations that “to truly put an end to the violence, the Nigerian government needs to implement a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach that addresses the economic and social inequities…” Additionally, Professor Albert had it that ‘Buratai’s whole-of-government approach is not all that was required .There is also the whole-of- society approach to be considered.’
The Colloquium: Future of Africa
The rest of the chapters raise issues that particularly, directly and indirectly, bother on Africa’s future during the colloquium. Regarding the state and management of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) covered in Chapter 10 by Michael Agbo John, Anthony Gebiri Elizabeth, and Ankeli Monica Alexander, the point is made that IDPs ‘are a product of salient and debilitating gaps in the security calculation of any nation.’ Consequently there should be proper training of agents and security officials that are responsible for the day-to-day management of IDP camps” Ayotunde Ishola Bewaji. He noted that ‘the net consequences of this COVID -19 pandemic is that societies within the various African countries and diaspora must look inward, devise survival strategies to face the challenges which are bound to come, by particularly reactivating the indigenous knowledge systems about vaccination, inoculation etc.
Regarding the state and management of Internally Displaced Persons covered in chapter 10 by Michael Agbo John, Anthony Gebiri Elizabeth, and Ankeli Monica Alexander, the point is made that IDP’s’ are a product of salient and debilitating gaps in the security calculation of any nation.’ Consequently there should be proper training of agents and security officials that are responsible for the day-to -day management of IDPs camps.”
“Transnational Crimes in Africa: Trends and Challenges” is the title of Chapter 11 written by Professor Gani Yoroms who argued strongly that ‘ Africa must begin to address its problems by itself’. As he put it, ‘it is indeed not enough to blame the developed world for our woes while at the same time going back to them for assistance once we face problems or conflicts’. In Chapter 12 on governance, security challenges, and Nigeria’s regress into a failed state, written by Professor Tunji Olaopa, a case for community policing was made in order to strengthen the local neighborhoods watch systems within an integrated framework.
In the concluding Chapter 13 of Section 2 on the Doctrines of Conflict in Central Europe, which is written by Howard Stoffer, an analysis of the requirements for a conventional war to be transformed into a tactical nuclear war is provided. He observed that ‘dual development hard few realistic options or usefulness in a nuclear battlefield… In summary, the offense has little to gain and much to lose if conventional deployment is chosen when hostility could elevate to the tactical nuclear level.’
Sections 3 and 4 are particularly noteworthy: while Section 3 addresses bureaucracy, governance, and development, Section 4 deals with the media society and national discourse. In this regard, how do bureaucracy, democracy and governance impact on the development in Africa? How do media, the society and national discourse similarly impact on continental development? Answers to these questions are hereinafter discussed within the frame of the colloquium on the future of Africa which is part of the Festschrift in honor of Professor Tunde Adeniran.
The Civil Service attracted much attention in Chapters 14 and 15 of Section 3. Oladapo Afolabi in his “civil service administration of the Nigerian federal government,” says ‘in a federal system of government where the federal government co-habits with the federating units, the federal civil service, which is the engine of the government requires a system of administration that is truly professional. It must run on strong ethical values (Integrity, honesty and respect), democratic values (responsiveness, representatives, rule of law): and professional values of excellence and innovation.’
Olugbenga P. Faseluka in Chapter 15 on “civil service in Africa politics and development,” says ‘for efficiency and effectiveness of the public service, a performance management system capable of measuring real output must be evolved. Performing officers must be recognized and accordingly rewarded. Additionally, He suggested the ‘training and retraining of officers, particularly in Information, Communication and Technical, and professional and administrative duties. This must be encouraged through appropriate funding in budget allocation.
Jerry Uhuo focused on “the power of incumbency and democracy challenges in Africa” in Chapter 16. He addressed why democracy succeeds in some climes and fails in some others in terms of development. He placed emphasis on the challenges of democracy and power of incumbency in Africa: elite factionalisation, promotion of mediocrity and sycophancy, misuse of funds, political apathy, defection, political violence, corruption, weak institutions, fixation and sit-tight condition.
In his discussion of “Intergovernmental Relations and the Practice of Federalism in Nigeria” in Chapter 17, Olarinde Fidelis Olugbamiye raised the question as to whether revenue generation can be centralized or decentralized. He also asked, given the collection system, which sources of fund should be shared and how should the sharing be done? Chapter 18 by Kingsley U. Ekwere addressed ‘the law of the Sea Maritime Environment and Challenge of Climate Change in Africa. He underscored the challenges of climate change to Africa, the resolution of Maritime boundary disputes in Africa, the protection of the marine environment of Africa Union Waters, as well as the illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing.
Finally, Section 4 on “the Media, Society, and National Discourse,” Oludaye Tade, Ridwan Abiola Kolawole, and Professor Adigun Agbaje advised readers on how to protect oneself against COVID-19 in their Chapter 19, entitled “I can protect myself against COVID-19: Nigerian Journalists and Adoption of Preventive Health Behaviour During Pandemic.” He noted that COVID-19 brought about unprecedented change in the way everybody carries out their routines.’
In Chapter 20 authored by Tunde Olusunle, ‘the media as literary enablers of the society,’ is explained, using The Guardian as the Archetype. Olusunle ascertained that The Guardian newspaper ‘has been largely supportive in nurturing literature and the arts since its inception in 1983. More important, ‘forty years after the inaugural edition of The Guardian, it has survived the attrition which many of its older peers and younger imitators have undergone.’
Chapter 21 on “Nigeria: Character Builds a Nation, Dignity Transforms it,” by Professor O. Olukoshi, is particularly of special interest because of the question raised at the colloquium on what future for Africa. Professor Olukoshi has also asked what it takes for us to turn the corner, and turn the table of underdevelopment, rising to take our destiny as the leader of the African world and a leader in the comity of nations. In his eyes, ‘dignity has come to nations either through revolution or enlightened leadership consensus to self-reform and to reform their countries. The choice before us as a nation is no different.
Chapter 22, the last chapter on ‘re-inventing politics in Africa: towards participatory mechanisms and principles of constitution making,’ by Professor O. Julius O. Ihonvbere, it is argued that ‘if Africa’s democratic projects are to survive, the participatory approach to constitution making must be adopted. It is clearly the only way to mobilise and educate the people, construct identities and pluralism, and construct much needed platforms of inclusion, tolerance , and participation.’
Grosso modo from the colloquium, several observations were made that were noteworthy for the future of Africa. First, Professor Hassan Saliu noted the depressing level of legitimacy being enjoyed by African leaders and that has prompted the withdrawal of citizens from the political and governing processes. Secondly, Chief Femi Melefa said what is germane to the various submissions is the key role education can play in Africa’s development. It is really not the dearth of education that is Africa’s problem, but the non-willingness of the leaders and the led to apply applicable philosophies. Professor Gani Yoroms said the dearth of intellectual superiority and moral quality to provide exceptional governance on the African continent is appalling. This has made Africa to continue to experience collapsing institutional mechanism of the state. Professor Tunde Adeniran said the developed and prospering societies of the world are knowledge-driven. The acquisition of knowledge, through education, is the key to development, peace and security of any nation. Senator (Prof.) Oserheimen Osunbor posited that the future of Africa will be shaped by natural phenomena (geological activities and climate change) and human factors (Corruption, population, weak institutions, poverty and insecurity). He foresaw that some million years from now, the eastern part of Africa could break off to form a new Continent. Ambassador (Prof) Jerry Ugokwe said the participants at the colloquium had the key to Africa’s future, noting that Nigeria’s National flag, gubernatorial and presidential seats carry coat of arms, that are tainting because they are contrary to what is pledged in the National Anthem of Nigeria.
