Sacramento State government professor Patrick Cannon addressed a room full of African scholars Friday and posed the question, “Is Nigeria on the road to nowhere?”

His keynote speech kicked off “Nigeria at 50: Lessons and Opportunities,” a campus symposium commemorating Nigeria’s 50th year of national independence.

About a dozen speakers touched on the current poverty and corruption in Africa’s largest country, and offered solutions.

Cannon said 92 percent of Nigerians live on $2 a day or less while government officials have embezzled $40 billion from the country in the past 40 years.

“The leaders’ will is public money for their own purposes, at the expense of the development of the country,” Cannon said. “Bribes have to be paid. It inhibits investment both domestically and internationally.”

Cannon also cited lack of a diversified economy and weak political institutions as reasons for Nigeria’s current social and health ills.

He called for reforms in political leadership, and support of organizations like the International Monetary Fund, which can address corruption.

“They make it difficult for leaders to move money,” Cannon said.

He admitted change would be difficult, saying “Strong vested interests will try to undermine these reforms, including (those) in the finance community.”

But he said positive growth was truly possible.

“If a few reforms prevail, I think Nigeria will be able to address its problems and achieve its potential as the giant of Africa,” he said.

Speaker Odubanke Odubela, a Sac State senior, talked about the challenges of being a Nigerian born woman who grew up in America.

Touching on the often shattered reputation of Nigerians due to scams and thievery there, she said many Nigerians lack the pride for their country found in America.

She added that many Nigerians don’t even trust each other.

“But we do not need to fit into that con artist category, and are not as we are perceived to be,” said Odubela, a health administration major. “Not all Nigerians are out to get your money, because they are working to make their own.”

Ken Paglia can be reached at [email protected]