A local think tank, the Institute of Research and Dialogue (IRDP), has pioneered a debating forum, with the expectation of bringing together intellectuals and experts in various fields to debate and share ideas on development based issues.Intellectuals and experts with local understanding of national issues are always expected to play a critical role in the formulation of public policy and participating in the setting of policy agenda at various levels of leadership.Unfortunately, there is still concern, as expressed by research from IRDP, that the role of intellectuals is scant. This has created a gap which results to foreign experts drive opinion about national issues, and yet their understanding of local realities is limited.The intellectual class should rise to the challenge and use their expertise to take charge over matters that will drive the country forward on various fronts. It is important that such opportunity for debate is broadened to include citizens of all walks of life. Everyone has a role to play in determining their destiny.This, in addition to other fora, like the annual national dialogue, will without doubt, ensure that the current progress will not only be sustained but accelerated.