‘Lack of workers’ commitment is a challenge to national development’ – AAUA Don

….Advocates emotional intelligence, dedication to duty

 Lack of workers’ commitment is one of the major challenges facing all sectors of the Nigerian economy, that’s according to a Professor of Counselling Psychology, Jude Akomolafe at the 44th Inaugural Lecture of the Adekunle Ajasin University delivered on tuesday.

The lecture was titled ‘Did You Complete What You Started? The Tripartite Roles of Commitment, Predictors and Therapeutic Interventions’. 

Prof. Akomolafe argued that organisational success is largely contingent on employee commitment, stating: ‘For an organisation to achieve its goals, vision, and mission, workers must demonstrate a high level of commitment. If every employee effectively carries out their tasks, such an organisation will remain productive and highly competitive.’ 

However, this is not the case in Nigeria where the Inaugural Lecturer decried the widespread lack of job commitment across sectors in the country. He described menace as a major hindrance to development.

He maintained that many sectors are in disarray due to workers’ lack of commitment, stressing that For any meaningful progress to be made, workers must demonstrate a high level of genuine commitment.

This he said is achievable key psychological predictors of commitment including emotional intelligence, self-efficacy, personality types and job satisfaction. He therefore recommended a national transformation agenda which must begin with a renewed focus on emotional intelligence and job commitment.

He also recommended interventions such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and emotional intelligence training to boost worker motivation and efficiency, noting. ‘Therapeutic interventions have proved highly effective in enhancing Nigerian workers’ commitment.

The scholar also advocated the urgent need for comprehensive reform in staff recruitment and management practices, advising. He added that ‘Counselling and organisational psychologists should be part of recruitment teams.

This, he said, would ensure candidates with suitable personality traits—particularly extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness—are hired, noting employees with neuroticism or excessive openness may struggle with commitment. 

To boost workforce commitment, Prof. Akomolafe  recommended regular staff training, inclusive decision-making processes and priority of workplace wellbeing. 

He wants organisations to focus on creating enabling environments where employees are motivated to align with organisational goals without close monitoring. Part of his recommendations are fairness and justice in workplaces, cautioning against punitive leadership.

While emphasising the need for Discipline  the Inaugural Lecturer advocated the need for empathetic leadership. 

 
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Olugbenga Ige, commended Prof. Akomolafe’s scholarly dedication and academic contributions, particularly in counselling psychology.

He noted the lecturer’s research ‘has not only advanced intellectual discourse but provided practical solutions to real-life challenges,’ further commending his commitment to mentoring, teaching, and community service as ‘a shining example of academic excellence in service to humanity’.