– Some thoughts on  Security and welfare of Nigerians.

 

            Emeka Nwajiuba

 

By PASCHAL EGERUE —

Security is the bedrock for national social and economic development. The 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria(as amended) recognizes this much when in section 14(2)(b), it stated emphatically and unequivocally that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of Government”.  Welfare and Security are interlinked. A government that can not secure and guarantee both is a failed government. Governments the world over fail in this department of security and welfare because of poor articulation of regimes objectives on the subject matter. This poor articulation inexorably yields  low or non segmentation and prioritization of the critical security needs of the nation. Our security vulnerabilities must be understood and clearly spelt out if we as a nation must move forward.  Nigeria has at the moment been variously classified as the poverty capital of the world. The country’s performance on various index of human development is dismal and incomperable to the fine fundamentals of this nation. What then is wrong that cannot be resolved? Some analysts, especially the foreign media describe Nigeria as a failed state while others say it is failing but still has little window for salvation. I do not encourage that we argue with these opinions but to see them as a challenge to change our ways and begin to do better. The fact, if we must face the truth is that the managerial/administrative tools and skills for enthroning security and welfare of the citizens as a cardinal strategy for economic development of Nigeria have changed radically. It will be highly illusory in this regard for any person to seek to be elected President of Nigeria without realizing this fact. The game has changed. It is not going to be business as usual as from 2023.

Insecurity is holding this nation hostage in different directions. Life and property are no longer safe. Our agriculture farm lands are being abandoned to bandits.  Our territories are being violated by foreign terrorists and some areas now are classified as ungoverned. Our educational infrastructure is collasping by systemic forces and social welfare architecture especially for the aged is non existent. In addition to all these is the problem posed by corruption and illicit financial flows, currency instability and policy inconsistencies. The various insecurities befuddling Nigeria does not need knee jerk approach and neither are they all amenable to conventional kinetic manouvres which seem to be the central but failing strategy of most African countries. By this failing strategy, these countries are subjected to too much bleeding and haemorage from huge money spent on security without commensurate result.

It is therefore important for a change,  that our  country Nigeria begins to evaluate her limitations in the understanding and tackling of her security vulnerabilities in contemporary times. The first action in this direction will be to elect as a President of this great but precipitiously beleaguered nation, a person who is mentally and physically alert, very knowledgeable and perceptive, agile and angrily commited to tackling and eliminating the various insecurities bedeviling this nation. This is where the Presidential aspiration of Hon(Dr) Emeka Nwajiuba should matter to all of us. The cap fits him.  He has been studying, researching, commissioning studies, understudying and subjecting himself to being mentored by the global best in leadership. As a lawyer who has had the benefits of comparative studies of various jurisdictions and which earned him a doctorate,  he knows that the battle to salvage Nigeria and retrieve her from the pangs of insecurity will necessarily start from enthroning the rule of law alongside revamping and strengthening the critical Institutions for criminal investigations and justice delivery.

Hon(Dr) Emeka Nwajiuba strongly believes that without massive deployment of appropriate technology, most provisions of the Constitution especially S.14(2)(b) will be mere inactive platitude. The world today is not only a global village but a village digitized to the extent that big advantages including wealth is now being generated from big data analysis. Big data was in the past confounding to both nations and corporates and was indeed a nightmare. Acquisition of relevant information, communication and technology governance tools is becoming cheaper and any country that says she is financially constrained in this regard can never be regarded as a serious country. The cost savings from good and relevant ICT is highly compensatory. The training that comes with it generates multiplier effect momentum in the economy. Of course, such training compels the professionalization and rightsizing of our federal civil service. With big data analytics capability, Nigeria should be able to account for every citizen and space in this country. We already have deluge of data stretching from those harnessed from BVN, NIN, TIN and others. With these data alone, various crimes, especially armed robbery, kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and indeed any crime that derives fuel from ICT platforms and legitimate financial flow channels will be a thing of the past. It is well appreciated that to tackle Nigeria’s security vulnerabilities is to tackle vested interest. It is only a younger Nigerian with the agility, zest, panache, education, national social and political outlook and a hunger for legacy like Hon(Dr) Emeka Nwajiuba that should be voted to be the President of Nigeria at this crucial time in the life of this nation. He will usher in transformational leadership. The standard he will set will give a new direction to leadership in this country. The APC as a party seeking to return to power has the ace in Hon (Dr) Emeka Nwajiuba.  I urge all APC delegates to massively vote for Hon(Dr) Emeka Nwajiuba.   He will make you and all of us proud by making Nigeria great again.

Paschal Egerue is a Lagos based Insurance and Management Consultant.