Leadership in Nigeria in the past has been identified as the root cause of lot of challenges facing the country ranging from civil strife, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, corruption, economic comatose, political rascality and social disorder, which is on the increase.
This is even as security crises across Nigeria is largely been due to insensitivity of the country’s leaders and inadequate intelligence gathering on the part of the security agencies, leading to threat to the country’s democracy and economic growth.
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These are contained in the communique issued at the end of the 2025 annual reunion conference of the Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates Association (UNIFEMGA), with the theme, “Sustainable Framework for Inclusive Economic Growth”, held at the weekend in Ile-Ife, signed by its National President, Engineer Mohammed Buari and Secretary General, Sefiu Ikudaisi.
The conference condemned in strong terms terrorist acts in some parts of the country, mob actions, jungle and selective killings of innocent Nigerians, advising the Federal Government to avoid the present stereotype of pigeon-holing it as a religious issue.
It asserted that the current crises are “more of a political, ethnic and economic issue”.
According to communique, security crises had constituted a great challenge not only to democracy and economic growth but also to good governance in Nigeria.
UNIFEMGA further observed that Nigeria can establish itself as the secure gateway to West African markets, transforming current challenges into distinctive competitive advantages in the evolving global trade system.
It noted that Nigeria is positioned to leverage global trade dynamics while effectively managing security challenges.
“The failure of leadership in Nigeria in the past has caused the nation a lot of challenges ranging from civil strife, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, corruption, economic comatose, political rascality and social disorder on the increase.
“Series of security crises we are witnessing in the country is due largely to insensitivity on the part of our leaders, inadequate intelligence gathering on the part of the security agencies all of which constitute a great challenge to good governance and a threat to democracy and economic growth in the country.
“Nigeria can establish itself as the secure gateway to West African markets, transforming current challenges into distinctive competitive advantages in the evolving global trade system.
“Security and trade facilitation need not be competing priorities but can function as complementary dimensions of a unified approach to border management,” the communique read in part.
According to the association, excellence in security can become a source of competitive advantage rather than a business cost for the country.
While commending the Nigeria First initiative if the Federal Government, UNIFEMGA stated that Nigeria’s position as one of Africa’s largest economy “provides unique leverage to establish leadership in secure trade practices within the Africa continental Free Trade Area, (AfCFTA) framework and beyond”.
It added that, “Our size, geographic location, and economic diversity create opportunities that few other African nations possess while the technological and institutional innovations now available offer unprecedented capabilities to transform traditional approaches to both security and trade facilitation, creating possibilities that did not exist before now.”
It, however, lamented that the Renewed Hope Agenga of the President Bola Tinubu administration is being sabotaged by some unpatriotic Nigerians, which made the last two years tough for everybody.
“The Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration is supposed to reset Nigeria’s economic advancement and ease the burden of hardship on the citizenry; but thus far, the selfish activities of some saboteurs and unpatriotic nature of some Nigerians made the last two years a tough one for everybody.”
The communique added that the reunion conference “therefore implores all elected and appointed leaders to be responsive to the needs and aspirations of the citizenry and to embrace good governance, fairness and justice to all as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and make the fear of Allah their watchword, in order to forestall uprising in the country”.
and then