……Says Ideas Rule the World
Emmanuel lkpeama
Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra State has challenged Nigerian professors and the wider academic community to transform research findings into practical solutions that will drive national development, declaring that ideas remain the most powerful force in shaping societies.
Soludo made the call while delivering the keynote lecture titled “Our Future in Our Past: Intellectualism and Making of African Renaissance” at the 6th Biennial Adada Lecture Series (2026 Edition), organised by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Association of Nsukka Professors (ANP).
Addressing a gathering of scholars, intellectuals and dignitaries, the Anambra State governor said Nigeria’s future can only be secured when knowledge is converted into action and academic excellence is linked directly to governance, innovation and public policy.
He expressed concern over what he described as the widening gap between universities and national development, noting that despite the large number of professors and research publications in the country, their impact is yet to be fully felt in governance and society.
“If you have 200 Professors as members, how is the Adada zone not a first world?” Soludo asked, challenging academics to move beyond the classroom and engage more actively in solving societal problems.
He added, “We produce journal articles, but how many have become policies? Intellectualism without activism is sterile.”
The governor stressed that nations do not become great merely because of natural resources, but because of ideas that inspire institutions, industries and progress. According to him, every lasting transformation in history began first as an idea before becoming reality.
Soludo also spoke on the place of the Igbo people in Nigeria’s federal system, maintaining that their long-term interest is best served within a united, stable and functional Nigeria.
Reflecting on his years in office, he said his administration has sought to apply intellectual principles to governance through reforms, innovation and strategic planning aimed at positioning Anambra as a modern economic hub.
He further urged scholars to become both thinkers and doers, insisting that the modern intellectual must not only analyse society’s problems but also participate in solving them.
“Standing akimbo is too expensive,” Soludo warned. “We don’t just live; we live to matter. It is time to get back to basics and drive the African renaissance through active participation.”
Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of the occasion, Professor Osita Ogbu, said true academic excellence lies in the constant pursuit of discovery and the courage to apply knowledge to real-life challenges.
Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Professor Simon Ortuanya, described the event as a homecoming for Soludo and commended his contributions to governance and national development.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of an Award of Excellence to Governor Soludo by the organisers.