Building a Virile Nation...the private Sector Perspective

BOOK: Building a Virile Nation

             The Private Sector Perspective

AUTHOR: Dr. Ausbeth Nnamdi Ajagu

On-line Purchase @ www.aes-edu.net

The world of books, well written books swallows me like a great tumbling wave. Dr. Ausbeth Ajagu’s book, ‘Building a Virile Nation,’ a collection of speeches, seminar papers, keynote addresses, print media publications, etc is one of such books. His point of view reveals his true convictions over and over again, in the belief, in freedom of entrepreneurship, capitalism with human face, lower and harmonized taxes, less government, a strong security system and properly planned, executed and monitored development plans.

Dr. Ajagu's collection is full of wisdom; whatever the subject matter is. He brings a powerful grasp of developmental knowledge and understanding on all national and international issues. The readers will find all the papers, publications and interviews educational and absorbing to read. His stand-point on many issues are thematic, dynamic and refreshing.

Dr. Ajagu writes with a style and power to dazzle, excite, and persuade. His writing belongs to the needed missing link; that of professionals whose roles have been instrumental in creating successful environment in their chosen field, sharing their practical ingenuity. Even those with a glancing knowledge of the different subjects in this collection would quickly enough gather that the author cares deeply and passionately about the areas where he’s sees his country lagging, where he’s seen his country derailing, where he knows his country can and should be at and the abundant untapped potential that still can propel his country to possible enviable height among committee of nations, if all hands are on deck.

So, how does he professes building such virile, vibrant, non beggarly nation; a flagship, the ‘African beacon’ mother country? Dr. Ajagu was very clear and to the point: A nation’s industrialization and entrepreneurial growth are predicated on many factors, among the major ones he listed were: Industrial and Technological Growth; Dedicated and Patriotic Citizenry; Educationally Upward Mobile Population; Politically Matured and Democratically Responsible Citizenry; Adherence to Good Corporate Governance by both the Public (governance) and Private Sectors; Effective Strategic Planning and Implementation of short, medium and long-term goals by the nation’s leaders; Functional Infrastructural Services; etc.

Dr. Ajagu divides the book into two parts: the first section consists of speeches, seminar papers, keynote addresses and lectures he delivered at different fora. In the very first paper he titles, ‘Repositioning the Industrial Sector for National Economic Development in a Fledging Democracy,’ delivered to a group meeting of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and their guests. Professor P. F. Izedonmi has this to say; ‘the author gives a blue print on the way forward for the industrial sector in the nation’s democratic experience often described as nascent. This is in view of the fact that Nigeria’s democracy when compared to other established democracies of the world could be said to be backward or rather sluggish as a result of the long military interregnum. There is no gainsaying that the state of a country’s democracy has a direct impact on the industrial sector. With the advantage of a player in the industrial sector, the author has brought his rich experience to bear on the way forward for the nation’s democracy and the industrial sector.’

The other 36 papers in the first section of the collection touches on issues ranging from, National Economic Development, Security, Skills Development, Relevance of Sustained Training and Retraining, Manufacturing, Family, Youth Development, Nationalism to Men as Assets. The author rounds off the section, sweetly, praying for divine guidance for the development and employment of his readers’ ‘potentials to the service of God and man.’

The second section consists of exploration of similar subjects, consistent with the theme of the book. But unlike the first, they are solicited and volunteered articles and interviews published in various popular and professional print media.

Dr. Ajagu, has written an exceptional and invaluable referential book that covers serious issues like the economy, international commerce and trades, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship to not too serious issues of roles of women as family pillars and sexuality to jaw-jawing with student aspiring to take over from him. If you want to see the world as it really is, not as often painted, this collection is essentially the sort of book that will get your nerve cells firing in all cylinders. His point of view and stance will delight, excite, stretch your imagination and ways of seeing things beyond anything you learnt from school; may even anger you but surely will energize you to want to do something.

Long speeches tend to bore me, and if the major points cannot be put into bulleted forms for display in an overhead or distributed papers, then often I just ignored them. As I read Dr. Ajagu’s book, reclining on chairs, riding the buses, sitting for meals and drinks, I had time and therefore the patience to truly enjoy it. I even imagined his character, informally, strolling among students and women, chitchatting and sharing his point of view on the ‘proper womanhood, sex, morality’ etc and at other fora, like a statesman or pastor on a podium; enjoining, imploring, begging, in the name of God that his country Nigeria, be saved, how it can be and declaring his willingness to put his wealth of experience, skills and wealth at the disposal of all who wants to join hands with him.

I say, amen to your prayers, Dr. Ajagu; to your supplications for a revived Nigeria and orisons for the coming together of your likes-consummate entrepreneurs-to take Nigeria to a place of God’s glory.

Excerpt

Economic management involves the deliberate design and implementation of policies, plan and programmes intended to stimulate the productive sectors of the economy to achieve a high and sustained rate of economic growth, while maintaining price and external sector stability and improving the general welfare of the people...

Many approaches that have been adopted to manage the economy have stressed, as their major objectives, the transfer of the commanding height of the economy to Nigerians with the ultimate aim of achieving ‘the good life’ for the people, where poverty would be eliminated. However, in actual fact, the intricacies of economic management, involving delicate balancing and mix of various policy options as well as the lingering economic problems have resulted in less than optimal performance...

There is need for government at all level to fulfil their mandate and promises to the people. Leaders should live by example and be seen to be working to improve the quality of life of their people. Transparency, probity and accountability should be restored in public offices. Hard work and sympathetic attention to the need of the people should be ensured. Government must tackle the problem of food, unemployment, transport, power supply, education, health, crime, water and shelter as priority projects. It must also attend to the needs of workers, pensioners and manufacturers. Poverty alleviation should not be a special programme. It should be a holistic project, on which there is no distraction. The public good and welfare should dominate public and private activity

Every Nigerian alive today must ponder over the future of our country, a country greatly endowed with both human and natural resources by the Almighty God, but which a few opportunistic actors in the political stage, over the years, plundered and reduced to a ‘beggar nation.’ We must all rise to the challenge and together work towards the building of the great nation that Nigeria was destined to be by God.