Nigerian in the Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), Singapore Chapter, on Thursday underscored the need for the Federal Government and African nations to prioritise investment in education, to promote political awareness.
Dr Jonathan Obaje, Vice President of NIDO Singapore Chapter, gave the advice in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Obaje, also a Singapore-based Nigerian biomedical research scientist, spoke on the sideline of lessons that Nigeria and other African countries could derive from the U.S. election.
He commended the high level political awareness in the U.S. election which contributed to the large turnout of voters at the poll and therefore, urged government to prioritise investment in education sector.
Obaje said “The voter’s future is tied to who will be sitting in the White House and they will do whatever it takes to put the better candidate there.
“Strong institutions and infrastructure built over many years enable easy and efficient multiple voting channels in this COVID-19 era in America.
“For Africa, education should be the number one and number two priorities; there is no substitute to human capital and enlightened populace.
“It guarantees political awareness and reduces political violence; Africa and Nigeria in particular must focus on education and building strong institutions, rather than strong personalities.
“Strong institutions outlast strong personalities and in real terms, it does not matter who wins this election in America, they have adequate strong institutions in place, to keep the president in check,’’ he said.
