Fostering Cohesive National Security in Nigeria

Fostering Cohesive National Security in Nigeria

One of the issues that engage the attention of governments and people all over the world is national security. This is because the main purpose of the state is to guarantee the security and growth of the country through attainment AND sustenance of national goals.

Nigeria with its over three hundred ethnic and diverse religious groups, will in the next few days mark eleven years of uninterrupted democracy and also later in the year be celebrating fifty years of nationhood. The consent and cooperation of these ethnic nationalities is important to the continued existence and ensuring national security of the nation. More important also is the unity and peaceful co-existence among these groups as frequent crises and violence will lead to instability and loss of confidence in the system.

Apart from military coups, there are other security issues that have challenged and indeed rattled the democratic political system. Among them are civil or organised protests resulting from a number of socio-political developments including ethnic disagreements and  national resource contentions.

Recent international debates have emphasized the need to see security in the broader sense as the struggle to secure the most basic necessities of life such as food, health, shelter, transportation, power and security. These broader human needs are important for the attainment of national security and overall peace and development of any nation like Nigeria. Social problems arising from the absence of such basic human needs can indeed lead to security threats and conflicts. This position is attested to by recent social unrests in various countries in Africa that have roots in the failure of government policies to provide or manage the basic human needs of their citizens.

In this regard, the plans by the administration of president Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria to tackle some of these basic needs headlong are in the right direction and a bold step towards improving the welfare and quality of life of the people. Efforts should also be made to strengthen the defence capability, diplomacy and economic development in order to foster a cohesive national security in Nigeria. To this end, the Nigerian government’s plan to fast-track developments in the Niger-Delta region and check the criminal activities of unemployed youths. That was the reason why late President Umaru Yar’Adua identified security as one of the top priorities of the seven point agenda of his administration.

National security is meant to strengthen Nigeria’s interest and objectives, contain instability, control crime, genuine developmental progress and improve the welfare as well as the quality of life of citizens. At the global scene, Nigeria’s participation in international peace support missions is a clear demonstration of its will and ability to be a provider of security resources and to show solidarity for collective international security. Such participation in peacekeeping missions has earned Nigeria accolades, ranking it as the fourth contributing nations to UN peace missions in the world.

Similarly, it has often provide the necessary exposure for the Nigerian Armed Forces to work in cooperation and collaboration with forces of other nations. The challenge now is to improve on policy and institutional means of dealing with security agencies and institutional means of dealing with security concerns at the federal, state and local levels. Security agencies and institutions should be pro-active and made more effective in combating crimes and other threats to national security.

As Nigeria celebrates eleven years of uninterrupted democracy, government must do all within its power to strengthen national security, a prerequisite for depending democracy. This is especially so as Nigeria prepares for a general election next year.

BY GARBA .A. USMAN

U14/MCM/2016

KUW/MCM/Group/20

Bringing the plight of the African Child to the Fore

Bringing the plight of the African Child to the Fore

Global attention is today focussed on the plight of the African child and efforts directed towards ameliorating their predicaments. Since 1991, June 16 every year has been observed as the International Day of the African Child. It is a day set aside to celebrate the life of African children.

The Day was set aside by the defunct organisation of African Unity (now African Union) in remembrance of the massacre of innocent children and adults who participated in June 16 Soweto uprising in apartheid south Africa in 1976. On that day, some children who joined a marched in protest of the declining quality of education and demanded their rights to be taught in their native languages were shot and killed. The day was established to mark not only the courage and sacrifice of those in Soweto but to give a voice to the plight African children.

Each year, a particular issue of significance to the African child is assigned for the world to especially direct attention at. This year’s theme is: planning and budget for children, our collective responsibility. The imperative for joint initiatives in planning and scheduled budgets for projects pertaining to African children was underscored by statistics revealing that about thirty eight million children across the continent still remain out of school. Data also show that as many as fifty thousand African children under the age of five will lose their lives as a result of preventable or curable diseases. These figures are staggering and urgent steps are no doubt needed, to address the situation.

Children of Africa’s fifty four countries are all unique and diverse; nonetheless they share the same struggle for daily survival, as diseases is often rampant., with child labour and deployment of children for combat as child soldiers are common on the continent, their diversity aside the children of Africa are often displaced by force of urbanization than any other continent. They suffer more than any other nations from HIV/AIDS. Education is a right all too often  missed while child labour and trafficking often surpasses its demand.

Child survival, protection and development are not only universal aspirations enshrined in the millennium Development Goals; they are also human rights issues ratified in the international convention on the Rights of children and the African charter on the rights and welfare of the child. Thus, investing in the health and education of African children is a sound economic decision and one of the surest ways for a country to secure its future.

Although the official MDGs 2008 report show that there is widespread progress in primary school enrolment, fees for items such as uniforms, stationery and meals as well as reduction  in armed conflict however, lack  of birth registration, child labour and HIV/AIDS still keep about thirty eight million African children of primary school age out of school. Reports paint a grimmer picture of conditions for girls as more devastating, the higher the ladder of education, the wider their rate of dropout.

Collective efforts at planning and budgeting would no doubt ensure that vulnerable and marginalised children are enrolled and remained in school. The step will propel governments to embark on targeted programmes and interventions, such as setting up satellite schools in remote areas, eliminating school fees, providing school meals, ensuring a safe school environment and promoting later marriage. It has also been proven that political commitment plays a significant role in addressing the challenges confronting the African child today. Countries like Rwanda, Malawi Zambia, Uganda, Kenya and Ghana are good cases.

Malawi for example has moved from being a country devastated by hunger to a regional food supplier in recent years. It is second to Costa Rica globally in reducing child mortality by more than three quarters in the past years. Zambia has made great strides in HIV testing, prevention and education after late president Levy Mwanawasa declared a national emergency in 2004. By the end of the year he had surpassed his goal of providing thousands of its citizens with antiretroviral treatment.

When it seemed impossible for pastoral communities in Kenya to access education, the government designed mobile classrooms in which the children of nomads access education as they wander about in search of water and pasture for their cattle.

Other African countries should take a cue from these examples by giving children the attention they deserve. Governments on the continent should summon the political will to address the plight of children. More so as it has unarguably been proven that any country that neglects the wellbeing of its children does so at its peril.

BY GARBA .A. USMAN

U14/MCM/2016

KUW/MCM/Group/20

AKU SUES FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION IN WUKARI

AKU SUES FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION IN WUKARI

PETER AUDU KUW/U14/MCM/2024

The Aku Uka, the Jukun paramount ruler, Dr. Shekarau Angyu Masaibi had called on Jukun Muslim brothers to seek reconciliation with God and their Jukun Christian brothers and give peace a chance in Wukari.

He said this on Friday 24 July 2015 at his palace during sallah celebration by the garaza cultural troupe, which is normally performed by Jukun Muslim during festivity.

The caretaker chairman Wukari local government council, Hon. Daniel Angyu in his opening speech emphasis on the need of reconciliation, which he had seen in the spirit of sportsmanship in the ongoing football competition, the spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness. This act also brought about this Sallah celebration to create ways to preach peace and need to reconciliation.

Highlights of the event include dancing, singing songs in Jukun language and encouragement speeches are made. While at the closing remarks, His majesty gave a brief history of the garaza dance, how it came about and who are the custodian, the Amakpariga the Jukun Muslim.

The leader of the troupe Alh. Yahaya Sule Aruwa in his vote of thanks promised that peace had returned to Wukari and pleaded their loyalty to their king.

Representatives of various security agency and other tribal leaders were present too.

CROCODILE IN THE KWARARAFA KINGDOM:WHAT SIGNIFICANCE TO THE JUKUNS

CROCODILE IN THE KWARARAFA KINGDOM:                    WHAT SIGNIFICANCE TO THE JUKUNS

PETER AUDU KUW/U14/MCM/2024

Crocodiles are protected in many parts of the world. In some places, Crocodile are farmed commercially. Their hides are tanned and used to make goods such as shoes and handbags. Meat from crocodile is considered a delicacy. There is divergence in this, however among the Jukun people of Taraba state. The Jukun protect the crocodile and protected by it, thereby, placing the animal on the sacred altar. According to the Jukun revolution the historical crocodile has in most sources, been assigned the date since the existence of the tribe who originated from Yemen in Arabian peninsula. Yet, the popularity of the ancestral animal appears abeyant. In Yemen and throughout the various expenditure, the crocodile was a companion of the Jukuns. The people and their brothers were, and yet, called kwararafa people migrated from Yemen in Arabia with the crocodile in the early sixth century AD.

What could be the reason for crocodiles in Wukari ponds being regarded as mysterious and always celebrated? It is not definitely due to the crocodile value in terms of meat production and the production of economic products derived from them. Crocodile in this place are celebrated each year and low-keyed activities such as worshipping, feeding and tourist homage visit to them are occasionally used to give them sense of belongings. It would be a sacrilege to dare the crocodile by an act of ungodliness and disrespect. There are two cardinal points on which crocodiles are protected by the Jukuns; they defend the people against any forms of aggression and protect them from attacks of epidemic outbreak. Interestingly, the success so far, recorded by the Jukun people in wars fought and won by the ancestors of the Jukun people may not be unconnected with this legend.

KWARARAFA UNIVERSITY WUKARI ACADEMIC STAFF SUSPENDS STRIKE

KWARARAFA UNIVERSITY WUKARI ACADEMIC STAFF SUSPENDS STRIKE

PETER AUDU KUW/U14/MCM/2024

The Academic Staff Forum of Kwararafa University, Wukari had on the 7^th July 2015 embarked on strike for non-payment over eight months salaries, the documented bill of staff salaries and pension details.

The Staff assumed work last week by suspending the strike after reaching agreement with the University management that some arrears would be settled before commencement of second semester examination on 27 July 2015.

The Vice chancellor, Kwararafa University Wukari Prof. Yakubu Ochefu who addressed the forum during meeting with the academic said the inability of the University to pay salaries for several months was because of dwindling resources in the institution.

Prof. Ochefu added that his administration is committed to improving revenue generation by collaborating with some organizations that are willing to come to their aid. According to him, the effort has been yielding positively.

Similarly, payment of fees by students has improved” he stated. After meeting with the executive members of the forum on 13 July 2015 following its meeting with the management, Mr. Thomas Uzah announced suspension of the strike.

 He however expressed the forum’s confidence in the management that it will live up to its promise. While urging his colleagues to continue to be hard working with show of loyalty to the University administration, Mr. Uzah thanked them for their understanding in fighting for their common course.

It could be recalled that, the forum earlier went on warning strike of four days to demand for payment of salary arrears and details of pension deposit but without positive response from the management before embarking on the indefinite strike.