Obasanjo spoke on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on the Ajibosin Platform, a public discussion board themed “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Solve Grassroots Problems and Accelerate National Development.”
Tinubu had in April stated his administration will proceed to borrow each time mandatory, insisting it shouldn’t be considered negatively.
“If we have now to borrow, we borrow. Borrowing is not leprosy, we simply must work arduous to have the ability to pay for it,” Tinubu had stated throughout a gathering with Plateau leaders led by Governor Caleb Mutfwang and APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, on the State House.
The former president recalled that when he began his farm 47 years in the past, the naira exchanged at N1 to $1.85, questioning what the nation had executed to now have N1,500 to a greenback.
“When I began my farm, 47 years in the past, naira to the greenback was one naira to $1.85. Forty-seven years in the past. What has Nigeria executed in 47 years that we now have 1,500 naira to the greenback? What have we executed?” he requested.
He additionally questioned the capability of the political management to enhance the lives of Nigerians, asking, “What do our leaders know? And what do they not know? And from what they know, what can they do for us?”
Obasanjo additional criticised Nigeria’s dependence on the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, IMF, arguing that the establishments weren’t designed for Nigeria and weren’t constructed by Nigerians.
“World Bank and IMF weren’t designed for us. They weren’t constructed by us. They had been constructed earlier than we turned impartial. And that is the individuals who would decide what we do,” he stated, warning in opposition to adopting international financial prescriptions with out contemplating Nigeria’s realities.
Also talking on the occasion, historian and public coverage scholar, Dr Umar Ardo, warned that synthetic intelligence can not confer sovereignty on a society that has not secured management over its personal establishments, priorities and assets.
Ardo, whereas delivering his lecture on the anniversary theme, insisted that AI could produce solutions however can not produce proper options for Africa if possession and management stay overseas.
He recounted utilizing AI as an mental assistant to interrogate concepts and manage materials for his ebook, The Nigerian Development Doctrine, however stated it uncovered its limits.
“The expertise confirmed me that AI can prolong human mental capability, nevertheless it additionally uncovered its limits. A system could produce a believable reply with out producing the correct resolution for the issue of a specific society,” he stated.
“It can determine patterns and manage information, nevertheless it can not substitute human judgement, political accountability or establishments able to implementation. AI can strengthen our capability to assume and act, nevertheless it can not confer sovereignty on a society that has not secured management over its priorities, establishments and assets,” he added.
He warned that expertise is by no means impartial in its distribution, stressing that Africa’s drawback has by no means been rejection of expertise however acceptance on dangerous phrases.
He insisted that if Nigeria fails to construct the infrastructure of sovereignty: chip fabrication, knowledge centres, African-owned datasets and continental coordination by way of the AU Data Policy Framework, AI will change into one other instrument by way of which Africa is managed, moderately than an instrument by way of which Africa manages its personal future.
Earlier in her tackle, the Chairperson of the event, Mrs Onikepo Akande, asserted that AI is already altering how individuals assume and work, stressing that its significance can’t be neglected.
Mrs Akande whereas acknowledging that AI might help determine alternatives, navigate challenges, enhance logistics and assist companies compete, urged Nigerians to deploy expertise judiciously to enhance healthcare, agriculture, schooling and different sectors for sustainable growth.
