Former Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, has cautioned Nigerian academics against withdrawing from public affairs, insisting that democracy and good governance suffer when scholars fail to challenge those in power with facts, research and moral courage.
Gambari gave the warning on Saturday in Ilorin while delivering a public lecture at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Ilorin Emirate Professors, where he urged universities and research institutions to become more visible and influential in governance, policy direction and national development.
Drawing from decades of service as a scholar, diplomat, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Chief of Staff to late President Muhammadu Buhari, Gambari said governments perform better when guided by strong intellectual input.
“I have seen up-close where government works and where it fails. In both instances, academia had a role to play in the final outcome,” he said, stressing that scholars are “custodians of truth, fairness and the conscience of society.”
He warned political leaders that power is fragile when citizens feel ignored, urging academics to remind governments that authority thrives on inclusion and accountability. According to him, history has repeatedly shown that political dominance can collapse when leaders take the people for granted.
Citing Kwara State’s political evolution, Gambari recalled the 1957 electoral victory of the Ilorin Talaka Parapọ̀ movement, the defeat of Governor Adamu Atta in 1983, and the 2019 “O to gẹ” uprising that swept the opposition into power across all levels of elections. He said these events underline the consequences of disconnect between leaders and the governed.
Gambari noted that Nigeria’s youthful population, rising social pressures and governance gaps demand a more proactive academic community, especially in policy research, civic education and leadership training.
“Old ways of engagement are no longer sufficient in a society shaped by technology, bold youth activism and rapid political change,” he said, adding that scholars must remain independent while consistently speaking truth to power.
He identified areas where academia can make critical impact, including evidence-based policymaking, legislative research, public sector capacity building, institutional reforms, anti-corruption strategies, digital governance, crisis management and climate resilience.
The elder statesman listed ethics, transparency, accountability, rule of law, participation, equity and sustainability as core governance values, noting that citizens only trust governments when these principles are clearly seen and felt.
Placing Nigeria’s challenges within the global context, Gambari said the world is facing heightened geopolitical tensions, climate threats, technological disruption and resurging nationalism, all of which complicate governance decisions.
“Globally, stable democracies depend heavily on universities and think tanks for data, clarity and ethical guidance,” he said, urging Nigerian scholars to play similar roles to prevent public distrust and institutional decay.
He also called for stronger collaboration across disciplines, arguing that modern governance challenges are too complex to be solved from a single academic lens.
Gambari urged scholars to step out of their “ivory towers” and engage society through public dialogue, policy advocacy and intellectual leadership, while guarding against political compromise.
“When the relationship between academia and governance is balanced, we see effective policies, democratic accountability and social progress. When it is broken, the result is chaos and distrust,” he warned.
He concluded by calling for sustained academic engagement at both national and international levels as a pathway to strengthening governance and restoring public confidence in leadership.