Yemisi Izuora
With the high wave of insurgencies and corrupt practices in Nigeria, the Dean of the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences (FSMS), Anchor University, Lagos (AUL), Prof Simbo Banjoko, has informed that faith-based institutions would help a great deal in tackling these socio-political menace and economic crimes in the country.
Banjoko, while disclosing the FSMS’ First Distinguished Faculty Lecture with the theme, “Driving Excellence in a Faith-based Institution: A role for All Stakeholders,” which is scheduled for Tuesday, next week, stated that it had become imperative to have such institutions, like Anchor University, which is owned by Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM), as their graduates would help to reshape the course of things in the country.
He noted that FSMS’ First Distinguished Faculty Lecture, with Prof Sola Fajana, professor of labour and human resources management, University of Lagos, and former Vice Chancellor, Joseph Ayo Babalola University, as the Guest Lecturer, would dissect a lot of issues, which would enable all stakeholders of faith-based institutions make significant impact to the socio-economic and political development of the country.
Banjoko pointed out that things went wrong in Nigeria because people, in the past, did not do what they ought to have done, while some of the people currently in corridors of power do not have the fear of God.
Anchor University’s Dean of FSMS said: “The time has come for us to follow the right step and do things right with the fear of God and take decisions and see how it would benefit the generality of the people and not our pocket alone.
“That is bound to change and it is already changing. We want to change the mindset of people, change their outlook, increase their fear of God and increase the love they should have for their fellow human beings.
“Then, we start to experience a new change and the state of the economy would be positively affected and people will no longer be selfish. They will consider the others and the country. That is what I think the emergence of faith based university would do to our country,” he stressed.
According to him, churches had now assumed the responsibility of raising people who would be able to govern with the spirit of God and this had led to the establishment of faith based institutions.
He added: “These institutions are bent of teaching the students how to live a better life, how impact lives, how to be holy, how to live a holistic life and how they can look forward to heaven.
“So, with the establishment of more faith based institutions, which is aimed at inculcating good habits, building people who are God fearing, people whose lives reflect love for their neighbours, the tendency to crime and criminal actions will be minimized.
“This place, Anchor University, is a faith-based institution, which is for holistic living. This is the major reason for the establishment of the university and not just the money,” he further stated.
