When Will Nigeria Shift the Narrative From Cattle To Education?, By Olabisi Deji-Folutile
Discourse on cattle is so much elevated above any meaningful discussion on education, technology or development in general.
We have serious problems and our leaders should better own up to them. The Nigerian education sector is deep in crisis. We have the issue of the lack of standards, on one hand, and insecurity, on the other. This new wave of the kidnapping of students has added to our baskets of challenges. This is not the time to be talking about cows…
The way Nigerian leaders talk about cows and goats gives one the impression that these animals are far higher in value than the average citizen. Discourse on cattle is so much elevated above any meaningful discussion on education, technology or development in general. From the look of things, it seems Nigeria’s 18.4 million cattle, its 43.4 million sheep, 76 million goats and 7.5 million pigs are of far more importance than its 10.5 million out-of-school children and hundreds of others in kidnappers’ dens. Somehow, these animals have continued to be objects of national focus in the last five years, at the expense of human beings.