By Alumona UkwuezeGovernor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State on Tuesday said the sit-at-home directive in the South-East triggered what he described as a self-inflicted internal crisis in the region.
Speaking at the 6th Biennial Adada Lecture Series organised by the Association of Nsukka Professors at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Soludo lamented the human and economic toll of the development, noting that lives were lost and businesses disrupted.
He said the prolonged sit-at-home led to capital flight, with several businesses relocating to other parts of the country due to insecurity and uncertainty.
Delivering a lecture titled “Our Future in Our Past: Intellectualism and the Making of African Renaissance,” the governor also expressed concern over what he described as the declining relevance of academic work in addressing real-world challenges.
He urged scholars to move beyond theoretical research and engage more actively in shaping public policy and societal development.
“If you have hundreds of professors, why are our communities not comparable to more developed societies? We must move beyond the university walls. We produce journal articles, but how many influence policy? Intellectualism without action is ineffective,” he said.
Soludo emphasised the need for “productive intellectualism” that combines ideas with practical implementation, stressing that sustainable progress depends on applying knowledge to real-life challenges.
On national unity, he maintained that the long-term interests of the South-East are best served within a united and functional Nigeria.
Reflecting on his administration, the governor said efforts are being made to translate ideas into governance through volunteer-driven initiatives aimed at positioning Anambra as a competitive economic hub.
He added that nations are shaped not only by natural resources but also by transformative ideas, citing figures such as Isaac Newton, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Kwame Nkrumah, and Ahmadu Bello as individuals whose ideas shaped societies.
In his remarks, Chairman of the association, Paulinus Ugwuoke, said the theme of the 2026 lecture, “Intellectualism and the Development of a People: Mainstreaming the Igbo Extraction Within the Context of Nigeria’s Federal Governance System,” was timely given the resilience of the Igbo people within Nigeria.
He described the South-East as a hub of commerce, industry, science, and innovation, driven by the entrepreneurial spirit of its people.
Also speaking, Chuka Utazi, who represented Enugu North Senatorial District, urged residents of Nsukka to leverage their voting strength to attract development, while encouraging academics to promote vocational education and entrepreneurship as tools for poverty reduction.
Secretary of the planning committee, Chris Agbedo, said the lecture series serves as an intellectual platform to examine how ideas shape societal progress, noting that sustainable development depends on effectively harnessing intellectual capital.
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