Nigeria needs concerted effort of all stakeholders to curb insecurity ― Wale Osun

Member, North-East Development Commission (NEDC), Hon Wale Oshun, on Tuesday, said that the insecurity in the country required a concerted effort on the part of all the stakeholders to curb as it is adversely affecting the nation’s economy.

Osun, an elder statesman, said this while speaking at a summit organised by Journalists for Democratic Rights (JODER) held in Ikeja, Lagos, noting that insecurity was the major reason why some investors don’t want to invest in Nigeria.

While warning that the insurgency currently facing the North-East zone could happen in any part of the country, maintained that the decision of the South-West governors to set up “Operation Amotekun,” a security network for the zone was in the interest of the nation, and not to pursue any South-West agenda.

The former federal lawmaker, while urging stakeholders and political leaders to address issues that do lead to crisis, accused past leaders of the country of having failed to invest in what would bring more happiness to the people

According to him, those fomenting trouble in the country were engaging in it because they were disconnected from governance, adding: “Once those people don’t believe in government, they promote violence.”

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Speaking further, Hon Osun disclosed that about 283 languages are spoken in Nigeria, saying there was the need for the country to restructure, manage the diversities and the differences in languages and cultures to its advantage being the largest Blackman’s nation.

“Nigerians have a lot of work to do, if the problem is not addressed, it will create, social and economic class interest. There is a need to restructure the country.

“Nigerians need to look at what binds us together, and take advantage of our size to usher in development,” he said.

“Each geo-political zone should be allowed to develop their potentials. What is happening (crisis) in the North East can happen in every part of the country. We need to write a new constitution that will be acceptable to every part of the country,” he warned.

The convener of the summit, Mr Wale Adeoye, earlier in his speech, said JODER had taken it as a responsibility to engage the media and members of the community, and community-based organisations on post-election reconciliation conflict.

He said the exercise had been on for some time as the essence was to build friendship among the various ethnic groups in the country.

The representative of Ford Foundation, Mrs C. Oyinye, in her remark, said her organisation was interested in discussing diverse inequality in the nation, pointing out that the high rate of poverty in the land had made members of the public be easily manipulated by the political class.

Oyinye, while noting that marginalisation and deprivation were major challenges facing the country, charged that the focus of the citizens should be to put away their differences and look for how to forge ahead, adding that they should equally fight poverty, and not themselves.