Don advocates inclusive Human Development in Africa

A Professor of Law from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, Mashood Adebayo Baderin on Thursday advocated inclusive human development in Africa.

Prof. Baderin was speaking during the 3rd in the series of annual lecture held in honour of a member of the University’s Governing Council and philanthropist par excellence, Prince Tunde Ponnle at the Olagunsoye Oyinlola Auditorium on its main campus in Osogbo

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In his lecture themed ‘Human Rights-Based Approach to Sustainable Development In Africa: Challenges, Opportunities and Prospects’, Professor Baderin stressed human inclusion to be the central subject of development and highlighted individual liberty as a component of true development.

“The concept of human development emphasizes that the human person is the central subject of development and should therefore be an active participant in and beneficiary of the results of development.

“For Africa, true development must reflect actual human development, which facilitates freedoms and opportunities for ordinary people and substantially improves their general well-being,”
Professor Baderin also added that the continent must improve governance and resolving conflict noting that “this is perhaps the most basic requirement for faster development.”

“The leadership of a people should reflect the best amongst them, and thus the integrity of the populace is implicated by the leaders they elect.

In Africa, most people often compromise their integrity when electing their leaders. People sell their votes for monetary, ethnic/tribal or religious gratifications and then turn to complain when the leaders mismanage state resources.

“The issue of human integrity must be taken very seriously. This applies to the whole populace, the leadership and the masses. It is well established that a nation or organisation cannot develop beyond the integrity of its leaders and people.”

Prof Baderin thereby concluded that Africa should prioritise investing in its people for accelerated poverty reduction.
The Executive Governor of Osun State and Visitor to the University, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola while giving his closing remarks thanked the Acting Vice-Chancellor for sustaining the lecture series and urged the University to continue being pacesetters in the academic field.

The visitor who was represented by the Osun State Commissioner of Education, Honourable Folorunso Oladoyin also implored the organizers to make copies of the lecture available to the public and devise workable strategies to implement the recommendations from the lecture.