Ex-US Defence Secretary Laments Nigeria's Backwardness

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A former United States secretary of defence, Mr Robert McNamara, has noted with concern that Nigeria and the rest of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa are falling farther behind the rest of the world in socio-economic development.

Addressing a news conference at the weekend in Yola, Adamawa state capital, Mr McNamara said that Nigeria is realising less than 50 per cent of its agricultural potentials.

"Sub-Saharan Africa is falling farther and farther behind the rest of the world. Nigeria, I'm told, is realising less than 50 per cent of its agricultural potentials. It's disgraceful," he said.

Mr McNamara who is also a former president of the World Bank, was speaking shortly after attending the board meeting of the Abti-American University jointly owned by Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the American University in Washington which he joined as a board member.

He said one way to tackle the problem is by paying great attention to modern education.

McNamara who sat with Vice President Atiku Abub-akar at the press conference, said it was the responsibility of Nigerians to wake up and rescue their country from continuous decline.

"It is not the responsibility of the rest of the world. It is only Nigerians who could do something about it; and you better do something about it," he said.

"The vice president is doing something about it; this university is doing some-thing about it," he added.

The former defence secretary said that he has visited many universities in both the developed and the developing countries and realised that setting up Abti-American University was a good initiative.

"We owe tremendous debt to the vice president. For God's sake get behind him and realise its potentials," he added.

The former World Bank boss also advised Nigerians to work hard in the fight against corruption, pointing out that corruption is a global problem that could only be tackled through concerted efforts.

Daily Trust.