ACHIEVING THE SDGS : IBADAN AGOG FOR ISD SUMMIT

By Tope Musowo

The ancient city of Ibadan was agog this week witnessing both human and vehicular traffic with a boost in economic activities due to the just concluded annual Ibadan Sustainable Development Summit, courtesy of the Center for Sustainable Development,(CESDEV) University of Ibadan,Nigeria.

The Summit which was the 8th edition of its kind,an initiative of CESDEV  U.I. was organized in collaboration with African Sustainable Development Network (ASDN) with the theme;"Challenges and Prospects of Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,(SDGs) within Planetary Boundaries ".

The program was declared opened on Monday by the Director, Center for Sustainable Development (CESDEV),Prof. Olanrewaju Olaniyan,with an introductory remark by the Director, Sustainable Development Solution Network, (SDSN-Nigeria),while the former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, who is now the Senior Special Adviser to President Buhari on SDGs,Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire gave the formal opening address.

The program began with an address by the Chairman of the event,Prof. Idowu Olayinka,Vice -Chancellor,University of Ibadan, before various speakers like Dr. Ayodele Odusola,Prof.James Tooley,Mrs Betty Egharevgha and the Mr Peter Obi began to give their keynote address on the theme of the summit.

Mr. Peter Obi,former governor of Anambra State, said Nigeria must take the issue of leadership seriously if it hopes to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals’ initiatives by the year 2030.

Speaking on the theme, “The Leadership and Governance Imperatives of Achieving the SDGs in Times of Economic Shocks and Uncertainties,” Obi, who  started by reviewing the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, that gave birth to the SDGs, said it was unfortunate that no African country achieved the MDGs due to what he called “leadership failure,” and the penchant of African leaders to pursue selfish and sectional rather than national interests.

He gave the China example,rolling out data and statistics, Obi, compared China and Africa within a given period, as he lamented that China had overtaken the entire countries of Africa put together in all indices of development due to their commitment to their country and people.

Reviewing the secret of China’s MDGs success, Obi said: “Over 15 years (200-2015), in partnership with the United Nations’ system office in China, China was fully committed to the MDGs integrating the goals into their development shortages from national to local government.

“China ensured effective and coordinated planning and managing their economic growth. China’s successful integration of MDGs into its national development plan helped China achieve an unprecedented transformative result.”

He observed that at the end of the MDGs,  China was able to lift 439 million people out of poverty, achieved 100%   literacy level , 98% enrollment among primary school age and tremendous improvement in health care delivery.

On the contrary, he said within the same period in Africa, “Reports show clearly that the African continent was off-track. Sub Saharan Africa, for example, became the only region in the world where poverty rose from 290 million in 1990 to 414 million in 2010; where undernourished children rose from 27 million in 1990 to 32 million in 2012; where children affected by stunting growth rose from 44 million in 1990 to 58 million in 2012.”

Obi  noted that China had started working towards achieving the SDGs by the year   2030 by doing exactly what it did with the MDGs and called on Nigeria to do the same by mainstreaming the SDG into Nigeria development plans.

In his words: “From the Chinese position on the SDGs, you can clearly see the leadership imperatives in achieving the SDGs. It is first about the leadership vision and commitment to the agenda.

“Secondly, it is about integrating the agenda in your planning and developmental strategies across all levels of government from national to the local governments.

“Thirdly, it involves mobilizing all resources towards achieving the goals, ensuring that the goals are well publicized in order for the citizens to take ownership and ensure participation.”

Recalling how his Government tried to pursue the MDG goals, Obi said his budgeting, planning and delivery where modeled after the MDGs.

On his part,a professor of Education Policy, University of Newcastle, UK,Prof. James Tooley, clarified the place of education in the SDGs, comparing the education part of the MDGs and SDGs, he noted that there was an element of 'free' in the Goal 4 of SDGs but still the choice parents are making is low cost private schools

Giving an example of an urban slum in Lagos called Makoko,as someone working on low cost private school, he found about 132 private schools there.

Accordimg to Tooley,when he asked the parents why they were sending their children to private schools, they responded that students are abandoned in Public schools.

He said, "there's a grassroot revolution of low cost private school around the world".Then he mentioned the recent closure of 1866 private schools by the Rivers state governor which means 200,000 students out of school and about 20,000 teachers loosing their jobs.

Day 3 of the summit also witnessed another session on the topic;" Domesticating Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria- Financial Inclusion Strategy ",with many discussants lending their voices on the topic.

On the grand finale of the program,which was Thursday Day-4,the Executive Director of Nigeria Network of NGOs (NNNGO),Mr. Oluseyi Oyebisi,challenged the academic community to step up its game as the society is looking up to the University for solution.

The last day of the summit was field trips to various locations within and outside Ibadan, a dinner and an award night to crown the four days activities.