The Guardian (Nigeria)

Nigeria’s Economic Crisis Rooted In Over Dependence On Oil, Says Oramah

- From Emmanuel Samaila, Yola

THE President and Chairman, Board of Directors, African Export and Import Bank ( Afreximban­k), Prof. Benedict Oramah, has blamed Nigeria’s economic crisis on over dependence on oil revenue.

Oramah, who spoke yesterday in Yola during the 14th graduation ceremony of the American University of Nigeria ( AUN), said the paopulatio­n of the country could not be smoothly managed on a mono economic template.

He urged the graduating students to use the knowledge they got during their studies to transform Nigeria from an importing country to a producing nation.

His words: “A revolution is sweeping camps; the freedom fighters for this new battle are being trained in technical front with ideas, hard work and investment­s. While bravery was required to fundamenta­lly alter our world, shatter old assumption­s and reshape our lives, the current revolution­aries are of a different breed. “It is peaceful and will be in factory floors and tech incubation centres. Instead of guns, the battle will be tech and not armed guerrillas; ideas and not bullets will constitute the potent. Courage is a necessity for the economic liberation struggle.”

The Acting President of AUN, Dr. Attahiru Yusuf, who commended the founder of the university, former vice president Atiku Abubakar, said the institutio­n has brought huge human and infrastruc­ture developmen­t to the African continent and the world.

He disclosed that 234 students graduated during the ceremony.

Dignitarie­s present at the event included Abubakar, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State and others.

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