It was an atmosphere of excitement on Thursday, as people from all walks of life converged at the Akin Deko Auditorium Ugbowo Benin City, to attend the 279th Inaugural lecture series of the University of Benin which was delivered by Professor Clement Atewe Ighodaro.
Seated amongst the guests was the University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Lilian Imuetiyan Salami, key holders in the University of Benin ,as well as Deans of Faculties amongst dignitaries.
Professor Clement began by welcoming the dignitaries present at the event, before commencing the Inaugural lecture titled: Nigeria’s Paradoxes: Implications of Public Corruption for Sustainable Economic Growth and Development, scrutinized Nigerian Economy and posit corruption as a bane of Nation growth and development.
In the course of the Lecture, he bemoaned the current state of the economy and the impact of poverty on the Nigerian economy while also identifying other disturbing factors like corruption, high rate of insecurity, inflation amongst others, as factors combatting Nigeria’s growth and development.
According to him,
“corruption is the cause of suffering of most Nigerians as many Nigerian children cannot go to school, there is huge brain drain, capital flight and deprivation, poverty among others.”
“if we must reduce or eradicate corruption from Nigeria, it must start from the ruling class."
He further stressed the need to make the EFCC and ICPC truly independent . “They should be answerable to the National Assembly and not the President who has the power to fire and hire.” He said.
Professor Clement who is a Professor of Development Economics and Applied Econometrics is the incumbent Dean of Students Affairs University of Benin.