Posted Wed, Apr 23, 2025 8:13 PM

Development as Attitude: A National Dialogue Series

The Nigeria Hamilton Project is an initiative designed to stimulate national conversations around leadership, governance, and economic transformation. Supported by the Gates Foundation, the Nigeria Hamilton Project aims to catalyse critical, expert-led, evidence-based discussions that drive socioeconomic impact. This initiative provides a unique platform to bridge academic discourse and real-world policymaking, engaging scholars, policymakers, corporate leaders and citizens in meaningful dialogues on the primacy of leadership mindset in influencing national development.

In his book, “Development as Attitude: How National Progress is Shaped by Leadership Philosophy and Citizen’s Orientation” Prof. Osita Ogbu introduces a compelling dimension to the development discourse that integrates leadership philosophy into the development narrative, emphasizing that a leader's knowledge, values, and decision-making processes profoundly shape national outcomes. He argues that development is not merely a function of policies and institutions but is fundamentally influenced by the attitudes and consciousness of both leaders and citizens.

The author employed a mix of empirical evidence and anecdotal reflections to explore the leadership ethos, citizen engagement, and collective action that converge to either propel or hinder sustainable development. In this regard, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) will host a series of book reading events that will promote critical discussions on leadership, governance, and national development, inspired by the book. It aligns with the mandate of NESG as a private sector think tank committed to promoting a competitive Nigerian economy.

The events will not just explore the leadership required to implement the right policy choices, they will provide platforms for this book to contribute to the broader, multidisciplinary discourse on Nigeria and Africa's development, urging a reawakening of national and regional consciousness in navigating the path to economic development and national progress.

Purpose and Objectives

Extending the Conversation – The event aims to extend this conversation beyond academia, engaging policymakers, scholars, and citizens in thought-provoking dialogues on the interplay between governance, leadership mindset, and economic transformation

Fostering Discussions – By fostering discussions across multiple states in Nigeria and select African countries, NESG seeks to deepen the understanding of comparative development practices, challenge existing paradigms, and inspire actionable strategies for inclusive growth and sustainable progress across the continent.

Event Details

Date: Thursday, April 24, 2025

Time: 4:30 PM

Venue: The Dome, International Conference Centre (ICC), opposite Okpara Square, Independence Layout, Enugu.

Panelists

Dr. Emeka Urama: Honourable Commissioner of Finance, Enugu State Government

- Dr. Ben Nwosu: Director, Institute for Development Studies; University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Enugu Campus)

- Chief Loretta Aniagolu: Chairman, FIT Group of Companies

- Dr. Chukwuma Agu: Former Economic Adviser to the Governor of Abia State/Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics: University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Enugu Campus)

- Ms Chinazam Okorie – Public Policy Analyst (Moderator).

Register via - https://www.nesgroup.org/events/development-as-attitude--a-national-dialogue-series