By Ijeoma Okigbo
Maiyaki Bala, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) has charged members of the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) to take up leadership positions in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bala made the remarks during the 18th Presidential Investiture and Inauguration Ceremony of Council of the APBN on Friday in Abuja.
Bala who was the guest speaker at the event spoke on the theme, Professionals and Governance in Nigeria: The 21st Century Expectations.
He said that there was a dire need for professionals to take the issue of good governance and their role in politics very seriously.
“There is a very unfortunate trend in the country where those that are meant to be at the helms of affairs have taken the back seat.
“They have taken the back seat because of the mythology that politics is meant for certain set of people.
“The truth of the matter is that it is time for professionals in our respective callings to consider taking a vacation off to go and deploy the resources of the professionalism in giving direction to leadership in the country.
“As long as people continue to exhibit this kind of apathy in running the affairs of the country, we will only continue to run in that same circle.
“I have said consistenly that we will indeed be deceiving ourselves if we plant mangoes and expect to reap oranges from there.
“I use this opportunity to invite the APBN to take a stand in encouraging their members through seminars, workshops and orientations.
“To give them the opportunity to look inwards and see how best they can continue to harvest from their wealth of experience in giving meaning to our political trajectory,” he said.
He stressed that when professionals are encouraged to assume leadership positions, we will get the kind of leadership that we desire in meeting the aspirations of the people of this country.
He added that the new APBN president had a herculean task ahead of him, adding that issue of the integration of professionals into the global market must be one of his key focus.
“The world has suddenly become a global village trending in the issues of trade, investment and services.
“Professionals in Nigeria give out services but what are the quality of services that we give out in our daily endeavours?
“It is very important for the 18th president of the APBN to continue to invest in raising the capacity and understanding of our professionals in the global workings of systems through indulging in digital trainings and technology.
“You cannot as at today be a professional without building yourself into these windows that will make you relevant any where you go around the world.
“When we also collaborate with professional bodies and associations, we will give our members the opportunity to buy into the global market, showcase their expertise and prove themselves in a competitive environment and therefore, standout,” he said.
He noted that when this is considered, it would be an opportunity for the APBN to continue to grow its professionals and give meaning to the kind of services that will be rendered in the country.
“It will also help us to discontinue with the medical, legal and engineering pilgrimages that we embark upon around the world.
“So, I think it is important that this body continue to raise the capacity of our professionals so that indeed we can be relevant to our environment and daily lives,” he said.
Mr Manason Rubainu, the new APBN president in his remarks said that there was enough professions in the country at the disposal of governance organisations to provide services to Nigeria and Nigerians.
Rubainu noted that Nigerian professions, like all over the world, have codes of conduct that control the individual personal behaviour and professional conduct that ensure good quality of services delivery.
“APBN is made up of 32 professional associations whose professions are chartered (created by law).
“It is however worrisome to witness the failure of governance to meet the needs of the Nigerian society and we are usually quick to point at the politicians for this failure.
“It is true that the political class seem to be occupied by poor leaders and people who cannot mobilise the instruments of governance for quality service delivery to the populace, but this is not enough explanation for the stated failure.
“Politicians do not sign cheques of raise certificate of valuations.They do not design, value and construct structures that collapse regularly in Nigeria.
“They do not care for the sick or design disease prevention and control programmes. All these are done by professionals,” he said.
He reiterated the fact that unethical practices, either self-motivated or influenced by governance processes distorted by the political class or operators of organisation establishments were largely responsible for poor governance indicators in Nigeria.
He said that the APBN was however determined to address the issues which are within its competence.
“I accept to captain the leadership for this battle. I will follow the footsteps of my predecessors and improve on them.
“On behalf of APBN Councll, Board and the entire body of professional associations, we shall support government, business and other organisations in their efforts to provide good services to Nigeria by improving the quality of governance,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)