Insecurity

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The Nigerian Legion has declared that it has the capacity to secure schools in Oyo state.

 This declaration was made by the Deputy Commandant General  and  chair of Legion, Evangelist Julius Ogunjoko. ''Learning can only take place in a secure environment. Pupils and students must have a hundred per cent security in their schools. The security of our children should be of paramount importance. We have written several letters to the Oyo state Government in this respect. We will continue to remind the government, once we have the approval we are ready and have the capacity to secure both public and private schools in the state, Evangelist Ogunkojo stated.

Millions of Nigerians have remianed without suitable and comfortable homes due to the incompetence of Those-inCharge to provide affordable houses for the impoverished populace.

Indeed, political office holders have over the years facilitated the activities of criminally minded Esate Agents and land grabbers in several states, while the Judiciary may have for long been acting out the scripts of their paymasters.

How can a Cheif Executive appeal to Nigerians to live in peace with criminals in several communities?

A number of state governments have now turned the real estate sector to a revenue generation point, while citizens have continued to tell those who care to lsiten unending tales of woe.

Interestingly, an unspecified number of cases and incidences of fraudulent practices by illegal practitioners in the real estate sector have overwhlemed police stations and court rooms across the land.

Sadly, a few state governments have successfully made the real sector unattractive to investors, as most of the accomodation available are anything but decent and affordable.

The reversal of this horrible status quo may influence the voting patern. Perhaps. Even though owning a house ought to be a right, an enabling environment for this purpose still remians a mirage.

Note- The recruitment of unqualified persons and institutional compromise are among other reasons why insecurity and violent crimes persist.

Click here-Living in Peace

President Muhammad Buhari is reluctant to send the Service Chief packing, despite the fact that insecurity in Nigeria has got to un unbearable level. Read this-Insecurity underpins property rights in Lagos – no matter what class you are-click here-https://bit.ly/3157BmF

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria(CBCN) has called on Christian faithful to wear black, or at least black armbands as a sign of mourning and solidarity with the victims of kidnapping and other violent crimes, on ash Wednesday. The first day of the Lenten season.

The All Workers Convergence(AWC) has also thrown its weight behind the Catholic Bishops.

A statement by the President of the  CBCN, Archbishop Augustine Akubeze invited  Christian faithful to join to join a “Day of Prayer Procession” to kick off the Lenten season, to protest the state of insecurity in the country while 

describing the procession as a part of the Church’s moral responsibility.

The march, scheduled for Ash Wednesday, is against “the repeated barbaric executions of Christians by the Boko Haram insurgents and the incessant cases of kidnapping for ransom linked to the same group.”

The statement condemned the public show of impunity by the perpetrators of these crimes on social media, the constant threats to many communities, and the lack of arrests of the criminals by the government.

No peace/growth without Security

Emphasizing the importance of peace, the statement reads: “May we, once again, remind all the arms of the government in Nigeria and all whose responsibility it is to protect Nigerians that without security there can be no peace, and without peace, there can be no development or national growth.”

The CBCN also called on the international community to come to the aid of the Nigerian government in its fight to restore security and stability in the country.

Nigeria has been on a constant fight against the Boko Haram insurgents who in 2014 kidnapped girls from a secondary school in Chibok, Northern Nigeria. In recent times, there have been multiple instances of kidnappings and violence against local communities linked to the same group.

Similarly the AWC through its National Coordinator, Comrade Andrew Emelieze called on workers in Nigeria to join the protests saying ''we should not wait until we are personally touched, for an injury to one is an injury to all. We at the AWC commend the Catholic Bishops for this initiative and we cal on all workers in Nigeria to show solidarity for the clarion call. Workers should join the protests on Wednesday by putting black to show that they are not happy with the spate of kidnappings, killings and other violent crimes.''

Residents of several communities in Nigeria have expressed worries over the criminality, lawlessness and disorderliness which now characterize daily living in these communities.

Sadly, owners of houses in these communities have repeatedly failed to thoroughly screen prospective tenants before accommodating them. In the process of residing in the rented apartments, criminals of sorts ply their trade.

Indeed, community leaders and the executive and members of Landlords and Tenants Associations have by design been unsuccessful in reversing this ugly trend, in addition to the proliferation of beer parlours, ‘’Ogogoro’’ joints and hotels in residential areas.

In a sizable number of communities, the critical stakeholders have been repeatedly accused of sponsoring criminals and crime.

In this interview, the Founder, Spiritual Head and Gran Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke opinest that Landlords, tenants, the police, religious leaders all have roles to play to reverse the ugly trend.

What do you think can be done to curtail criminality, lawlessness and disorderliness in communities in Nigeria ?

Nigeria is made up of units or sub-systems bound by ethical principles to promote sanity in the society for ease of interpersonal and social interactions based upon the concept of peaceful co-existence. Each unity or sub-system can be regarded as a community with peculiar characteristics that may feature as a tribe, ethnic grouping, language and some traditions that show the kind of social entertainments, peculiar works as well as dressing modes and dress codes. Customs have varieties of religious undertones that maybe originally cultural or metamorphosis of assimilated foreign religion mixed with their beliefs.

Each of these are based on some value system which keep the community peaceful safe and secured for human sustenance in their struggle to entrench sustainable development. At the national level, regionalization of communities with similar traits keep up the Geography. Fortunately, this is the basis upon which Nigeria was built through several nationalities.

It should therefore not come as a surprise that agitations based on access, equity and development do emerge, but with different causative factors. For example, various agitations leading to militancy through youth restiveness in the South-South is basically environmental and ecological devastation. That of the South-East maybe based on issues of erosion, while that of the South-West is on fall in the standard of education and setback in development.

Generally, the North suffers from desert encroachment, educational backwardness and issues of poverty in the midst of plenty leading to the increasing insecurity as exemplified in the religious fracas of the likes of Maitasine and Boko-Haram issues fueled by poverty stricken youths in the wicked environment of begging for alms for sustenance.

The question now is the relevance of our Town and Gown philosophy on the impact of the expected socio-economic impact, value laden with the light of civility expected of rural integration programs into city urbanization effect.

However, community or village primitive nature dominates the Ivory Tower civilization because the ideal and substance of the value of education is always grossly abused through unwarranted under funding, with graduates preferring to be Personal Assistants to mediocre s, other than even searching for any job which in reality will fetch them less money for sustenance, rather than the ones to earn from the corruption ridden elite, who may not necessarily have a diploma certificate.

Other questions on the roles of all stakeholders in the scheme of nation building and community service on the issue of the core values of integrity that are supposed to make the people to be law abiding and measure up to become responsible citizens.

The Obas, Emirs and Obis were the custodians of the community’s cultural values those days, only credible people with a high level of integrity were usually put into the revered positions of power through divination that would enhance them to be people oriented on matters of justice and equity. They were expected not to run foul of the law they make and monitor, to ensure that people comply.

Unfortunately, some of them sold their people out during the colonial era on a platter of token sum or gift from their foreign colonial masters, thereby throwing most of their people to the jungle of enslavement. Since then, these revered positions neither seriously respect the oracles on the matter of choice, but rather receive blood money to enthrone the worms against the wishes of the gods and goddesses. The choice is now based on who can corruptly enrich the purse of the kingmakers.

This is why customs and traditions are now mere paper tigers and nasty objects of funfair of ceremonial importance.

On the religious scene, sacredness has been torn into shreds of profanity and religious substance has been sacrificed on the platter of commerce and deceit, rendering the scripture to a poor second of mere literature books of poetic importance. It is more of an entertainment program for people’s relaxation or mere opium.

This is the very reason why religion is only been used deceptively to choose our leaders, who will never apply, even by intuition, the concept of religious lessons or application of the scripture on the issues of management and administration in governance.

For the non-performance of government that has created the environment of poverty, religious issues are now shrouded in mysteries of magical wands by many self-acclaimed religious leaders to facilitate miracles to hoodwink the innocent, gullible and unsuspecting souls.

In all these processes, the community or the nation becomes fraught with anti-social and anti-divine activities, all in the name of survival of the fittest.

Unfortunately, poverty has also affected the fabric of every home that are either further impoverished or getting richer through the soiled hands of self enrichment or corruption.

Poor parenting, a situation where responsible Fathers are absent , creates an atmosphere of single parenting or separation and even divorce. This situation has only succeeded in putting children and the youth at the risk of poor peer group, most especially when they have the opportunity of mixing in schools with others from equally poor parenting homes.

Unfortunately for us, Nigeria is bedeviled with almost 13.9 million out-of-school children, with the possibilities of joining bad company in an environment of impunity.

Education is meant for all, to the secondary school level, hence must be free and made compulsory by government.

The community service must be directed towards having grassroots harmony. this is why all stakeholders starting from the Obas, Emirs and Obis, must shun self, but uphold the principle of altruism in discharging their divine and traditional responsibilities. Parents must equally direct their energy towards the God given assignment for them to ensure good parenting that would uphold the principles of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs on psychological and sociological needs, safety and security, self esteem and self actualization for the growth and development of their children.

Taking the golden path of assured safe and good child custody, sexuality education to manage the crisis ridden regime of puberty/adolescence stage of life as well as keeping close contact with the nature nurturing needs of the children to adulthood stage of independence.

For the security of the community, every home must participate effectively in the Landlords/Tenants Association’s activities, monitoring and controlling the inflow and outflow of tenants.

The community must be sensitive on the issue of the lifestyles of all Landlords, tenants and their children, while there must be good Police/Community relations.

It is now the trend to have Police stations at the ward level. This is important just as there are Medical centers for grassroots welfare and development.

Above all, parents and religious leaders must teach and implement the provisions of the scripture to be good role models by living exemplary lifestyles, that are worthy of emulation by the children and the youth.

Just last week Friday, Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, the 58 yer old daughter of nonagenarian, Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fashoranti was felled by the bullets of yet to be identified gunmen at the Ore junction in Ondo state, Nigeria. A cross section of Nigerians have condoled with the family of the bereaved. The Federal Government has also sent its condolences which has now become a tradition in most recent times.

However, the security situation in the country is worsening by the day.

In this interview, Founder, Spiritual Head and Gran Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke opines that no Yoruba son or daughter, regardless of economic status, religious and political persuasions should give in, to the lure of money for any reason. Excerpts :

What is your reaction to the gruesome killing of the daughter of Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fashoranti ?

First and foremost, the general state of insecurity in the country is very disturbing and in history, I have never known any government performing to reasonable expectations, under an hostile environment of insecurity.

The age long of insecurity during the 20 years of our Democratic experience shows our reluctance to develop Nigeria and the high level of unpreparedness of all the emerging leaders till date in Nigeria ; in making us to continue to witness orgies of government commiserations in the face of non performance.

The essence, under rationality theory, of changing government through electing new leaders is to maintain or improve upon the areas of strengths and opportunities for development to appreciably emerge while the new leaders are expected to restrategize to minimize or prevent the areas of the weaknesses of the successive governments of the past and to seriously help the entire population in taming and replacing the areas of threats which fundamentally would have caused a viscose friction in the will of the progress and efforts of the past movement.

However, for Nigeria’s history, contrary has been the case.

The various security summits, for example, by the Yorubas, has always been like the barking of a dog already chained to a place because even that of the State Governors was not only ceremonial, but without adequate preparation to save the Yoruba nation from the embarrassment of the day.

It is very unfortunate that Mrs. Olufunke Olakunrin, the daughter of Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fashoranti became another victim, it affects every Yoruba in particular and Nigerians in general because Pa Fashoranti has for long been at the forefront in fighting the cause of the advancement of the Yorubas in the area of unity and freedom and equity and justice in the wider Nigerian society.

No amount of commiserations from all of us can wake up the innocent victims of insecurity, including Mrs. Olakunri.

Suffice it now to say, that the Yorubas must be the first in the vanguard for the promotion of inclusive society where those who can walk the talk should be given the chance to come together to place the Yoruba agenda above other considerations.

No religion, no ethnic group, political persuasion must have a place under the goal of promoting inclusive society, but credibility, commitment to Oodua nationhood and the determination of purpose to have safe and secure Yorubaland, with right territorial integrity.

No Yoruba person, therefore rich or poor, aggrieved or otherwise, must allow him or herself to be bought over through the evil spirit of money mania which has been the root cause of our value erosion.

Internally, we have more than sufficient paraphernalia of authority to manage and defend the cause of Yoruba unity; if the heroic spirits of our fore fathers, whose heritage we must not allow anybody to destroy, is to be above every Yoruba son and daughter’s considerations.

In unity, the Yorubas can make it without any external considerations.