Former President Goodluck and PLO Lumumba: Nigeria Must Pivot to Tech and Military Might Now

Nigeria must urgently overhaul its old education system, build up its technology sector, and grow its military strength if it wants to survive and thrive in the modern world.

This was the core message from former President Goodluck Jonathan and the famous Kenyan lawyer Prof. PLO Lumumba. Both men spoke at a legal conference organized by the Nigerian Bar Association held on Friday, June 5, 2026, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

,They warned that global respect only comes to nations that can protect themselves and innovate.

Jonathan expressed deep concern over the current state of schooling in the country. He noted that Nigeria is still using an education framework left behind from the colonial era. To change this, he said the country needs to intentionally invest in its people, especially in science and engineering.

To prove his point, the former president pointed to India. He explained that many of the biggest tech companies in the world are led by Indian executives because their government planned and invested heavily in education decades ago. Jonathan remembered trying to do something similar during his time in office through a special scholarship program that sent brilliant first-class graduates to top global universities.

Beyond books, Jonathan also focused on hard power. He stated that technological innovation and defense are tied together. He noted with regret that Nigeria still cannot produce basic defense tools like missiles that can travel even a short distance. In his view, the global community only respects nations with strong militaries, like the United States.

Prof. Lumumba supported this view during his keynote speech. He argued that Africa will continue to be pushed aside on the global stage unless it learns to guard its own riches. The world operates on the survival of the fittest, Lumumba said, adding that if Nigeria had nuclear capabilities, world powers would treat it with much more respect.

Lumumba also questioned why African countries are still so dependent on foreign systems. He asked why people must use European or American banks just to send money to another African country, and why the continent does not share a single currency like Europe does.

The head of the local bar association, Clement Kekemeke, reminded the audience that security is not just a problem for the military. In Nigeria, critical assets like oil pipelines and maritime borders are constantly threatened by pirates and oil thieves. Because of these rising threats, governments have been forced to hire private security companies to help state security forces.

The event also brought together top officials, including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, to discuss solutions for the country. The final takeaway was simple: Nigeria must build its own tools, train its own people, and stand on its own two feet.