‘Integrity, professionalism germane to good governance in Nigeria’

To rate Nigeria among the best countries in the world with sustainable good governance, experts have harped on the need to imbibe the virtues of integrity and professionalism, as critical first steps.

They also argued that these virtues must be ceaselessly preached to those in leadership for the nation’s growth and development.

President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), Prof. Olukunle Iyanda, who said this in Lagos, noted that good governance is a perpetual challenge and until Nigeria addresses it, the institute would continue to campaign for it.

Iyanda, who said there is an urgent need for the citizens and the media to stop celebrating and edifying rich citizens as ‘heros’ of Nigeria, to set good records for the younger generation, stressed that it should rather be a collective responsibility to celebrate the silent worker, whose integrity is not preached and whose selflessness is unnoticed.

“It is our collective responsibility to make sure that this country celebrates the silent worker whose integrity is unpreached and whose selflessness is unnoticed. They may not be rich, but they are noble people and we should celebrate them,” he said.

Iyanda said the 35th edition of Omolayole Management Lecture with the theme, “Corporate Governance and Succession Planning”, will have experts on management matters address issues relating to the topic.

“There are people doing things that are poor in governance, somebody diverting things belonging to millions of Nigerians. We cannot get tired of dealing with people who have dead conscience.

“Governance will always be a perpetual topic until it is addressed. Lack of integrity, transparency and selflessness will make Nigeria remain a poor country,” he added.

The 91-year-old Dr. Michael Omolayole, whose lecture is being held and organised by AIESEC Alumni Nigeria (AAN) in collaboration with the NIM, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) and Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), would address contemporary socio-economic issues of national and international concern.