Kukah: AI offers youths chance to build, transform Nigeria

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has urged young Nigerians to stop complaining about political office holders and instead harness artificial intelligence to build their lives, establish enterprises and contribute to national development.

Kukah said young people should focus less on the shortcomings of political leaders and more on how they could use their education, skills and available technology to solve problems and create opportunities.

The cleric spoke while delivering the convocation lecture of Augustine University, Epe, Lagos, titled “The Pursuit of Happiness in a World of Moral Relativism,” on Thursday.

Kukah noted that many young people had become disillusioned with Nigeria because of perceived injustice, poor leadership and the weakening of moral values.

He, however, urged them not to allow these challenges to prevent them from taking responsibility for their future.

He said artificial intelligence was transforming several sectors, including education, medicine, banking, agriculture, law, engineering, business and government, adding that young Nigerians should explore the opportunities created by the technology.

Kukah said, “The missionaries offer us an example of what it means to see need, believe in people and build. They did not search for communities already filled with schools and hospitals. They went where there was most to build.

“Your generation now possesses tools they could never have imagined. Courtesy of AI, this may be the best time in history to build. The tools are in your hands. Build your lives. Build your families. Build enterprises. Build institutions. Build technology that serves human dignity.

“So, let us stop whining, focusing on office holders and their foibles and ask how we can all help to renew the face of the earth. Leadership is about ideas, not office holding. Each set of politicians may continue to leave us worse than they met us. Yet, the value of our education lies in facing the challenges that lie ahead and seizing the moment.”

He acknowledged that young Nigerians had legitimate reasons to be frustrated by the country’s challenges, including a culture in which merit was often undermined, and opportunities appeared to depend more on connections than competence.

Citing an International Monetary Fund estimate, Kukah said AI could affect about four in 10 jobs, underscoring the need for young people to understand the technology and prepare for changes in the world of work.

He encouraged the graduates to deploy their education and technological tools to develop solutions to Nigeria’s problems rather than wait for government or traditional employers to provide all the answers.

Kukah illustrated the country’s infrastructure challenges with the example of a tailor who could not complete 50 school uniforms because of unreliable electricity. He said such difficulties demonstrated the need for practical solutions that could improve productivity and the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

On migration, the bishop acknowledged that some young Nigerians would leave the country in search of better opportunities, but urged them not to conclude that nothing worthwhile could be built at home.

“Wherever you go, remain builders. But do not conclude too quickly that nothing can be built here,” he said.

He urged the graduates to make thoughtful choices about their careers, relationships and future, stressing that the pursuit of happiness required personal responsibility rather than dependence on other people.

Kukah said the choices young people made about what they valued would ultimately determine what they built and the kind of society they left behind.

“What you call happiness will shape what you love. What you love will shape what you build. What your generation builds will shape Nigeria,” he said.

Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Augustine University, Prof Anthony Akinwale, urged Nigerians to reject the perception of the country as a tragedy, insisting that its challenges should not obscure its enormous human and material potential.

Akinwale said repeated disappointments arising from unfulfilled promises had led many Nigerians to associate the country with failure. He, however, argued that the nation’s difficulties should be distinguished from the country itself.

“Those five words are: Nigeria is not a tragedy,” he said.

He described Nigeria as a blessing waiting to be received, adding that its natural resources, fertile land, favourable climate and talented population provided a strong foundation for national development.

According to him, Nigerians have demonstrated their capabilities through achievements in professional fields, the arts, sports and other areas, both at home and abroad.

Akinwale said the country had the potential to become a leading global power but needed the moral and political will to translate its resources and abilities into improved living conditions.

He argued that Nigeria had no reason to remain trapped in poverty if its people could work collectively to realise their potential and build a society where everyone had the opportunity to flourish.

The vice-chancellor also linked national development to the need for a genuinely democratic society in which issues affecting the public were discussed collectively, and citizens were not denied opportunities because of their background or circumstances.

He said such a society would help reduce the pressure on young Nigerians to migrate in search of better prospects.

Addressing the graduates, Akinwale described education as a source of enlightenment and liberation, saying its value went beyond the acquisition of certificates.

He explained that education should equip people with the intellectual, technical and ethical competence required to transform their communities and society.

According to him, the graduates had been prepared to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s development and should approach the future with confidence in their abilities.

The university’s Chancellor, Femi Otedola, described education as one of the most powerful instruments for transforming individuals, families, communities and nations.

Otedola said his commitment to Augustine University was driven by the belief that access to education could change lives and help families break cycles of disadvantage.

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He said the true measure of a university was not simply the number of certificates it awarded but the competence, character and capacity it developed in its graduates.

According to him, the institution must continue to provide education that responds to the demands of a changing world rather than remain tied to outdated approaches.

Otedola urged the graduates to recognise the value of their education, pursue excellence and approach opportunities with confidence, regardless of where their careers took them.

He said being Nigerian “should not prevent them from competing successfully on the global stage,” stressing the importance of “competence, high standards and a willingness to learn.”

The chancellor also reaffirmed his commitment to the university’s development, particularly its infrastructure.

He said the second phase of the Faculty of Engineering project, valued at N4.35bn, was expected to be completed by June 30, 2027.

Otedola said he had paid N1.5bn towards the project and expected to pay the remaining N2.8bn in the following months.

He said continued investment in the institution was part of his commitment to strengthening education and preparing graduates capable of contributing to national development.

The Pro-Chancellor, Dame Winifred Akpani, stressed that the university’s growth must be accompanied by integrity, accountability and a sustained commitment to academic excellence.

Akpani, who said she had been involved with the institution from its formative years through the fundraising committee and later as a member of the Governing Council, said its development required deliberate planning, responsible leadership and the commitment of its staff, students, parents and benefactors.

She said the university had made progress in infrastructure, faculty development, research, student welfare and partnerships, but warned that institutional growth could not be measured by buildings or public declarations alone.

According to her, a university earns public confidence through the quality of its teaching, the credibility of its qualifications, the fairness of its processes and the character of its graduates.

She identified integrity, excellence, stewardship and service as the four principles guiding the Governing Council.

On integrity, Akpani said the university must maintain transparent and accountable processes in its finances, admissions, examinations, appointments and governance. She described integrity as the foundation of public confidence in an institution.

She said the university was also committed to maintaining rigorous academic standards and resisting the temptation to sacrifice quality for convenience or increased student numbers.

Akpani noted that the value of a degree lay not merely in the certificate awarded but in the knowledge, competence, discipline and independent judgement acquired by the graduate.

On stewardship, she said resources received through philanthropy, tuition, partnerships and other legitimate sources must be managed prudently and transparently in support of the university’s educational mission.

She added that education should extend beyond personal advancement to service to communities, the country and humanity, in line with the institution’s Catholic identity.

Looking ahead, Akpani said the Governing Council intended to strengthen research, expand international partnerships and invest further in innovation and entrepreneurship. She said the university aimed to prepare graduates not only to seek employment but also to create opportunities for others.

She added that these ambitions must be pursued alongside the moral and spiritual formation that distinguishes the institution.

The Archbishop of Lagos and proprietor of the university, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, said education should develop the whole person by combining intellectual growth with moral and spiritual formation.

Martins said the Catholic Church viewed education as part of its mission because the development of the human intellect was inseparable from the development of conscience and character.

He explained that education should not be assessed only by examination results or graduates’ employability, important as those measures were, but also by the values and sense of responsibility it instilled in learners.

According to him, an education that sharpens the intellect without developing the conscience remains incomplete.

Martins said the university was established to combine academic rigour with moral and spiritual development, preparing young people not only to earn a living but also to live responsibly and contribute to society.

He noted that Augustine University’s motto, Pro Scientia et Moribus, meaning “For Learning and Character,” reflected the institution’s commitment to integrating knowledge, virtue, competence and service.

The archbishop also announced that the university had been ranked the best Catholic university in Nigeria, describing the recognition as the outcome of the dedication of its staff and students.

He said the achievement placed a responsibility on the institution to remain committed to excellence, integrity, faith and service.

Drawing on the life of St Augustine of Hippo, after whom the university was named, Martins encouraged the graduates to remain humble and continue seeking knowledge rather than allowing academic achievements to make them proud.

He warned them against compromising their values for professional advancement, urging them to maintain honesty, compassion, discipline and reverence for God wherever they found themselves.

Martins further urged the graduates to use their education for the benefit of others, whether they pursued their careers in Nigeria or abroad.

He said their success should be measured not only by personal advancement but also by their contribution to the welfare of their communities and humanity.