By Paschal Madu
…Says integration of vocational skills will fight rising graduate unemployment
A retired High Court Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Nwada Balami, has called on federal and state governments to initiate a comprehensive reform of the nation’s tertiary education system.
He further advocated for the inclusion of technical and vocational education into university curricula, as part of efforts to tackle the country’s growing graduate unemployment.
Balami made the call at the weekend in Gwagwalada, Abuja, when the leadership of the United Nigeria Chaplaincy (UNC) corps, led by its Commandant-General, Prof. Jidejisos Josiah Ejie, paid him a courtesy visit.
The retired jurist expressed concern that many Nigerian graduates spend several years obtaining university degrees only to roam the streets in search of increasingly scarce white-collar jobs.
He argued that Nigeria’s education system must be redesigned to equip students with practical, technical and entrepreneurial skills capable of making them self-reliant and productive.
Balami therefore challenged authorities in the education sector to realign the national curriculum across tertiary institutions to accommodate technical and vocational education.
According to him, such a reform would not only reduce dependence on white-collar employment but also enable graduates to create businesses, generate employment and contribute meaningfully to the national economy.
The former judge also urged the leadership of the UNC to strengthen transparency and accountability in the organisation, warning that a lack of openness among leaders could create suspicion, mistrust, complaints and unnecessary tension.
He criticised the short notice given to him ahead of the courtesy visit, stressing that organisations seeking to build public confidence must communicate effectively with stakeholders and operate strictly in accordance with their constitutional provisions.
Balami said the UNC was constitutionally registered in Nigeria, adding that, as Chairman of its Board of Trustees, he had been working to ensure that the organisation receives the necessary recognition from relevant government authorities across the country.
He maintained that the central objective of the organisation should remain the promotion of peace and national cohesion, urging its members not to allow tribal, religious, political or gender sentiments to undermine its operations.
Balami also called for an end to tribal coloration and other forms of discrimination within the organisation, insisting that members must operate within the provisions of its constitution and promote unity irrespective of ethnic, religious or political differences.
On the broader question of national integration, he advocated the removal of state-of-origin, local-government and geopolitical-zone considerations from Nigeria’s constitutional framework, arguing that such provisions had contributed to division rather than national unity.
Reflecting on his judicial experience, Balami recalled a case involving a man who declined to swear by either the Quran or the Bible because he identified as a traditionalist and preferred to swear by a stone.
He said he granted the request, stressing the importance of respecting diversity and individual convictions within the limits of the law.
On insecurity, the retired jurist said combating crime required collective responsibility, urging Nigerians to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to enable them respond effectively to threats.
He equally advocated improved welfare for security personnel, saying serving and retired officers and their families deserved adequate care in recognition of their sacrifices to the nation.
Balami further called for tougher measures against corruption, including severe punishment for public officials who loot public resources.
He stressed that leaders entrusted with public funds must be held accountable, arguing that responsible leadership requires serving the people rather than exploiting public office for personal enrichment.
Speaking during the visit, the Deputy Commandant-General of the UNC in charge of Muslim Affairs, Hamisi Gambo, said the engagement would help develop modalities for peaceful coexistence among Nigerians despite their political and religious differences.
Gambo urged citizens to promote peace, unity, responsible leadership and political tolerance.
Also speaking, the Commandant-General of the UNC, Prof. Jide Josiah Ejie, appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly to facilitate the passage of the organisation’s Bills, which he said had been before the National Assembly since 2012.
Ejie expressed optimism that the proposed legislation would strengthen the organisation’s contribution to combating crime and insecurity across the country, urging lawmakers to give the Bills urgent consideration.
