Flannel Business School, Lagos, has called for investment in knowledge as solution to speedy and stable economy in the country.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on its forthcoming book roundtable and 2022 awards, Chairman, Governing Council of the school, Dr Gbenga Olowo, identified lack of knowledge as a factor responsible for putting the country’s economy backward.
Olowo, who decried the poor reading culture among people across various sectors of the economy, said even few experts’ experiences documented into books as guides in workplaces for a new generation of professionals as manual to drive businesses have been left unread.
“There is shortage of knowledge because reading culture is very poor. There is urgent need to revamp the reading culture, not only to bridge this knowledge gap, but to put life back into our economy that is so desirous of fresh ideas, new technology, innovations and facts,” Olowo said.
According to the chairman, business leaders and investors pay little or no attention to the challenges of mediocrity, attitude and unprofessional conduct of staff in workplace. “Flourishing industry suffers not because it lacks capital, but because it lacks quality men to manage both material and human resources therein,” he said.
Olowo implored individuals to rekindle the reading culture and create a knowledge-based economy that would breathe new life into the formal sector of businesses.
He said this informed the roundtable slated for August 16, where former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Director General, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Dr John Asein; are expected to be in attendance to discuss new business models as tool for transformation and growth.
Emphasising the programme, the Director General of the school, Mr. Lawrence Omidiora, said thought leaders would be converging on the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, for discussions on the book as an agent of change, align leaders associated with books to develop solutions to problems, introduce new strategies and fuel collaborations in all matters related to books.