Professor of International Relations and Strategic Studies at the University of Lagos, David Aworawo, has urged Nigerians to approach President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day claim that “the worst is over” with ‘cautious optimism’, warning that reforms alone will not guarantee economic transformation without deliberate industrial expansion.
Speaking on ARISE News on Sunday during a panel discussion to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary and World Teachers’ Day, Prof. Aworawo said history shows that every government in Nigeria has launched economic reforms with similar promises, yet the outcomes have rarely met expectations.
“We wish that the claim that the worst is over is true, but I would take it with cautious optimism,” he said. “Governments have been doing reforms in Nigeria since the 1980s. When the Structural Adjustment Programme was introduced under Ibrahim Babangida, similar promises were made — but the 1990s turned out to be one of Nigeria’s worst economic decades.”
He explained that despite the current administration’s positive steps, more time is needed to determine whether the reforms will yield sustainable results.
“I would need at least a year more to be able to speak firmly about whether the worst is over or not,” he added. “Almost every government comes in saying the previous one destroyed the economy. Buhari spent eight years lamenting about Jonathan, yet things worsened. So, let’s wait and see.”
Aworawo argued that Nigeria cannot record real economic transformation without prioritising industrialisation, noting that the country has remained trapped between subsistence and mechanised agriculture — a level too low to sustain growth or create jobs.
“Unless and until the industrial sector is expanded and prioritised, we can’t really achieve much in terms of development,” he stated. “That is the sector that employs people, creates wealth, and drives economic growth. Mechanised agriculture is still one of the lowest stages of development.”
He therefore urged the government to channel more attention and resources into reviving industries that have either collapsed or left the country, stressing that such expansion would provide the foundation for long-term prosperity.
“We must leverage beyond agriculture. The move toward mechanised farming is good, but we should move further to reset and revive the industrial sector,” he said. “Many industries have shut down or relocated. That should be the next agenda for government if we truly want to turn the corner.”
Turning to the education sector in commemoration of World Teachers’ Day, the professor commended the year’s theme — Teaching as a Collaborative Profession— saying it rightly emphasises the shared responsibility of parents, teachers, and the community in raising well-rounded children.
“The children we teach have been abandoned to teachers,” he said. “Parents drop them in school and forget their role. True education requires collaboration — teachers, parents, and the community must all play their part.”
He also called on teachers to continually develop themselves, staying current with global trends in their fields.
“Teachers must develop themselves and stay at the highest level of knowledge,” he advised. “You can only give what you have.”
On the lingering crisis between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the federal government, Aworawo warned that another strike looms unless urgent action is taken to address the long-standing grievances of university lecturers.
“Teachers in Nigeria are the lowest paid in Africa,” he said. “A professor earns about $300 per month. That’s why strikes persist. I appeal to the President and the government to engage with ASUU in the next ten days to avert another strike. We have lost two academic sessions in three years — that is a tragedy.”
Aworawo added that teachers’ welfare directly affects national development, as the quality of human capital determines the country’s growth trajectory.
“We also have children among those students,” he said. “While we celebrate teachers, the government, parents, and the community must all join hands to ensure real education — not just schooling.”
As Nigeria marks 65 years of independence, both Aworawo and Ologun called for sincerity in governance, unity among citizens, and a renewed focus on productivity to sustain national progress.
“Let’s go beyond rhetoric,” Aworawo concluded. “Let’s walk the talk — only then can Nigeria truly turn the corner.”
Boluwatife Enome
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