Former Nigerian President Olosegun Obasanjo on Tuesday urged African universities to come up with programmes aimed finding solutions to challenges facing the continent.
Obasanjo said unless universities focus more attention on ways and means of finding solutions facing the continent, answers to the developmental challenges that society faces cannot be found.
He said it is time the African universities came up with relevant programmes by re-orienting them to reflect modern trends towards knowledge-based economies and to aggressively foster creativity and innovation.
Obasanjo made the remarks when he made a courtesy call on Kenya’s Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka at his offices in Nairobi.
He said the system of education in Africa that was introduced by colonialists is to blame for underdevelopment in the continent, noting that the colonialists had come to Africa to develop themselves and not Africans.
Obasanjo said it was now time for African governments to focus on projects aimed at creating employment opportunities for the youth, with a view to uplifting their living standards and that of the continent.
“This century is a century for Africa but Africans must do more than wishing it,” said Obasanjo.
Obasanjo is in the country to attend the governance conference on Africa where he will give a key note address on governance, leadership and management convention in Mombasa.
He said African governments should ensure that there is proper separation of powers from the executive and legislature.
“We cannot continue to appoint ministers from among Members of Parliament and claim that we are separating powers of the executive from the legislature,” said Obasanjo.
Musyoka stressed the importance of integration in the African continent as a means to spurring its developmental progress, thus addressing the challenges confronting her people.
He also said there was need to strengthen the development in the continent through New Partnerships for African Development (NEPAD).