Celebrated playwright, academic and poet, Professor Osonye Tess Onwueme, has canvassed increased investment in Nigeria’s education sector, stressing that knowledge remains the most critical foundation for sustainable national development. 
 
Speaking to reporters during her 70th birthday celebration in Abuja, the respected scholar noted that meaningful progress in areas such as economic growth, social cohesion and democratic governance is impossible without a well-funded and efficiently managed education system. 
 
According to her, neglect of the sector over the years has contributed to widening inequality, declining learning outcomes and erosion of the country’s global competitiveness. 
 
Onwueme emphasised that increased investment should go beyond budgetary allocations to include deliberate policies that improve infrastructure, teacher training, research capacity and access to quality education at all levels. She said investing in education is an investment in Nigeria’s future, with long-term benefits that far outweigh the immediate costs. 
 
The septuagenarian called for a return to basic values and a re-evaluation of the educational system to ensure it fosters responsible citizens. She accused parents of failing their children by not instilling good values and instead encouraging materialistic goals.
 
Reflecting on her early childhood, Onwueme recalled that her late mother constantly advised her to take her education seriously and to embrace hard work. She explained that this guidance shaped her attitude toward school from an early age, instilling in her a strong sense of responsibility and purpose. 
 
Looking back, she acknowledged that those early lessons laid the foundation for her later achievements and personal values.  The Professor of Global Letters, whose exceptional service as Distinguished Professor of Cultural Diversity and English at the University of Wisconsin, rose to prominence writing plays with themes of social justice, culture, and the environment.