AN official of the United States Consulate General in Lagos on Thursday advised Nigerians to be courageous followers in order to achieve true transformation.

Darcy Zotter, Public Affairs Officer at the US Consulate, said this at the Martin Luther King (MLK) Day lecture organised by Hubert. H. Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Association at Caleb University, Imota, Lagos State.

The theme of the lecture is: Nonviolent Transformation in Nigeria, Martin Luther King Junior (JR), case study.

Zotter said without courageous followers, the leaders are just taking a walk.

She said while the position of followership and leadership in the life of an individual went back and forth, both parties must not lack power and influence to change a course.

“Nigerians must emulate the life of Late Martin Luther King JR, and his courage to fight against oppression and inequalities in the US.

“Today I am happy to declare my citizenship with Martin Luther King JR, because he was an exceptional leader and his contributions to freedom in the US cannot be overemphasised , ” she said.

Also, Dr Olawale Adetoyi, Department of Political Science, Caleb University, said Nigerians could effect transformation through their voices and not by guns or violence.

Adetoyi said the country was in its present state because there was no good leadership to propel and the followers were accepting anything offered to them.

He said the current Nigeria society was perceived to be unjust because of the existence of socio, economic and political inequality.

According to him, a just society can only be created under a peaceful social order because when nonviolent method fails, the method adopted is crisis, coup, war, hooliganism, among others.

“The pollution in the South-South and killings in the North, among other crisis, exist because the masses are not raising their voices and taking sacrificial action against it.

“The advantaged group of a nation always fears the disadvantaged because they know that their voices and advocacy can effect a positive change.

“Wake up, rise up and speak up, Nigeria is changing to its old ways because the youths especially, are not ready to take up responsibilities’’, he said.

Miss Mojisola Onifade, President, Hubert .H.Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Association, said Nigeria needed men and women who would not sit and watch injustice thrive.

Onifade said the world celebrated Martin Luther because he fought against inequality and had a dream for racial equality and just United State of America.

“Forty years after Martin Luther King’s death, his dream of equality move closer with the election of Obama has President of USA.

“I hope Caleb University is one of the institutions where youths are raised to harness resources available to develop their potential and drive Nigeria forward’’, she said.

According to Onifade , Nigerian youths must use the social media to raise issue of discourse and clamour for a change .

Prof. Ayandiji Aina , Vice-Chancellor, Caleb University, said the lecture was a rare opportunity to join the US and NigeriaNigeria to celebrate common ideals .

Aina said Nigerians must advocate building a Nigeria of our dream where conflict was reduced to barest minimum and seen as an elite orchestrated model.

“A Nigeria where leadership is just and fair, health and education available as public good, “he said. (NAN)

– Feb. 8, 2018 @ 20:05 GMT |