A COMMUNIQUE ON THE STAFF/STUDENTS PARLEY HELD AS PART OF COVENANT UNIVERSITY’S ACTIVITIES MARKING THE 47TH INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS, 1ST OCTOBER, 2007.

Nigeria was FORTY-SEVEN on 1st October, 2007. A symposium in commemoration of this event was organized at the university. The event which was well attended was held at the University’s Students’ Chapel.

The symposium entitled "President Yar Adua Seven-Point Agenda: The Way Forward" had both Staff and students as discussants. The three Colleges were represented by six speakers made up of three lecturers and three students.

The speakers all agreed that:
Forty seven years after political independence, Nigeria, more that ever before requires an urgent interventionist approach to confront its multifaceted malaise;

The Eldora do envisaged at independence in 1960 had become at best an illusion;

The challenges facing the nation cannot be divorced from the nature of the political leadership at the different tiers of government;

A major tragedy of successive administrations in the country is the absence of a clear cut ideology to guide the conduct of government;

CU Students at the Occasion	Bishops of The Living Faith Church

Where such development paradigms existed, there were no fundamental differences between the different regimes that have governed the country

Governments that have enunciated such programme at different times were not committed to the implementation of such ideas;
Consequently, the Panel agreed that:
The citizenry deserve a better deal in the existing social contract with leadership at all levels of government;

For the Yar Adua government to positively impact the society, critical areas of economy, such as energy and power, education, transportation, job creation and security must be urgently addressed;

The omission of health in the administration’s agenda is a fundamental flaw that must be redressed, given the centrality of a healthy populace to a productive enterprise, the poor state of the country’s health facilities, and the endemic nature of diseases ravaging the society;

Government functionaries must demonstrate genuine commitment to the pursuit of the general good of the society;

The sincerity of the government towards its programme would be measured by the level of its commitment to the anti-corruption campaign, and the degree of fairness, integrity and accountability demonstrated in running the affairs of the country;

The government must quickly address the pervasive negative influence of the ruling party on its conduct, especially in area of political appointment and share of the spoils of office;

To achieve the realization of its set objectives, competence and merit in choosing political office holders must not be sacrificed on the altar of political expediency;

Education, as the bedrock of any genuine development, must occupy a central place in the agenda of government. The educational policy must be total and should incorporate a crusade for moral rebirth;

Civil society organizations must intensify their peculiar role in the task of social reengineering by serving as societal watchdogs against the excesses of government;

Poem Composed and delivered by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Aize Obayan at the Occassion Nigeria – Land of My Birth 47 years of twists and turns, 47 years of hopes raised and dashed, 47 years of bloodshot eyes, Squinted, looking towards unknown horizons for the clear recipe for our arrival at Canaan Behold, here in Canaan we dwell – with hearts panting  and awaiting the harvests from the covenant as received in Hebron. A new dawn breaks as Eagles soar in from near horizons Our fuzzy vision receives bright illumination as we see the beginning of mending broken bridges and raising fallen walls: In our 48th year we see clearer skies for the Land of my Birth. By: Professor Aize Obayan 1-10-07

SPEAKERS:
Staff

Sheriff Folarin CBS	Engr. Idachaba CST	Charles Ironuagbe CHD

Students

Suppor Gregory 300L Int Rel CBS	Alao Jolade Ajike 400L ICT CST	Ogochukwu Obiesie 100L Mass Comm CHD
Rapporteurs Dr. Mrs A. Shobola Mr. C. Tongo	Moderators Prof. Charles Ogbolugo Dr. Patrick Edewor	Coordinator of Event Prof. Matthew Ajayi