Funmi Olaitan, Ibadan

A Professor of Development Sociology at Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan, Mr. Olanrewaju Olutayo, on Thursday,, warned that Nigeria cannot develop as a country if it continues to copy developmental goals of so-called developed societies.

He gave the warning while presenting the 429th inaugural lecture of the University titled, “Sabiticate is Equal to What?”

He noted that Nigeria has been preoccupied with the colonial mentality of copying other countries rather than developing her own development needs, use indigenous resources and knowledge systems to drive it.

While describing as balderdash the placement of Nigeria as 152 out of 158 countries in the human development index, he said development is never by comparing a nation with another based on the yardstick set from outside.

Olutayo then challenged Nigerian academics to produce knowledge relevant to the transformation of the country, stating that the usefulness of earning a certificate is not to hold the paper but using the knowledge to impact the society.

He maintained that if Nigeria wants to develop, Federal and state governments as well as local governments must set their own goals and develop means through which they plan to achieve such.

He said, “In our self-reappraisal, as is often mistaken to be true, it is important to establish that development is never about comparing one nation with another. As such, the human development index placing Nigeria in 152nd position out of 158 (UNDP 2016) is balderdash. Each nation, wanting to develop, should set its own goals and develop means through which it plans to achieve such. Consequently, contextual analyses come to the fore rather than generalisations for development.”

He noted further that Nigerian chewing sticks are medicinal for treating dental diseases, liver diseases, sickle cell anemia and blood pressure than toothpaste.

Olutayo stated that it is sad that while Nigerians demonized things that are indigenous but that are more effective and developed by the inventive nature of pre-colonial Nigerians, Nigerians now buy herbal products from Asian countries while rejecting the more effective ones which effectively cure our health challenges.

According to him, since what is accepted in a place is a taboo in another place, there is no universal way to develop, rather countries develop their own development goals and pursue them.

He insisted that the reason for Nigeria’s underdevelopment is that we are not independent but rather still conduct our businesses using colonial mentality.

“The recommendation since the colonial period till date has been to learn how to develop from those who had ‘developed’, as if they are no longer developing. We are being brainwashed to see ourselves in the garb of others without taking cognizance of our historico-sociological experiences. As the Yoruba saying goes: ‘eniti o ba mo b’egbe e se nla, a sare ku’, meaning the person who does not know how her/his colleagues are prospering would run till s/he dies", he stated.