The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has called for increased investment in education as a critical tool for reorienting young people and securing a better future for the Niger Delta region and Nigeria as a whole.
Ogbuku made the call during a plenary session at the 2026 Law Week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yenagoa Branch, held at the NCDMB Conference Hall, Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa.
The event, themed “Securing the Future,” attracted notable personalities, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, keynote speaker Patrick Lumumba, and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri.
The plenary session, titled “National Assets Protection: Nigeria’s Shared Responsibility,” brought together stakeholders from security agencies, regulatory institutions and development organisations.
Speaking during the session, Ogbuku stressed the need for society to reflect on past mistakes while charting a path toward a better future.
“In securing the future, we must also think of the past because we have missed our way and there is a need to rediscover our purpose,” he said.
He expressed concern over the growing level of corruption in society, linking some negative behaviours to influences from digital and online platforms.
“We must invest in the right education for our children. Western culture has polluted our society, and only the right education can save our country,” Ogbuku added.
Chairing the session, former President Goodluck Jonathan supported the call for educational reform, noting that Nigeria’s education system must be repositioned to equip young people for future challenges and opportunities.
“We have to prepare our children for the bright lights of the future,” Jonathan stated.
In his keynote address, titled “Sustainable National Assets Protection in Africa: Opportunities, Risks and Regulatory Pathways,” Patrick Lumumba emphasised the importance of African unity in safeguarding the continent’s resources and achieving genuine independence.
“We have a duty to secure our future, but we must start by being united. It is only in unity that we can protect our assets,” he said.
Lumumba also urged Africans to free themselves from colonial-era mindsets, arguing that the continent’s progress depends on self-belief and collective purpose.
Representing Douye Diri, Bayelsa State Governor, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawie, described the Law Week theme as timely and relevant.
According to him, the theme highlights the collective responsibility of leaders, institutions and citizens to build a society anchored on justice, accountability, equity and sustainable development.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NBA Yenagoa Branch, Mr. Clement Kekemeke, challenged legal practitioners to go beyond routine legal practice and contribute more actively to national development and societal progress.
