Sovereignty of our nation must not be threatened ― Gen Irabor

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor has said that the sovereignty of the country must not be threatened.

General Irabor stated this during the commissioning of the newly renovated Students’ Union Building at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife on Saturday.

He said an egalitarian society could only be achieved through secure sovereignty.

Irabor urged the students to always ensure that their quest for an egalitarian society does not run counter to having secured sovereignty in the country.

“We can only have an egalitarian society within sovereignty and the sovereignty of our nation must not be under threat.

“If your quest for egalitarian society runs counter to having a secured sovereignty, then there is a problem,” he said.

He said that he and his team as alumni of the institution felt a very compelling need to give back to the institution which made a lot of impact in their formative lives.

The CDS said that they identified the student union building as the starting point towards building capabilities and capacities.

Irabor said that the students must be at the forefront if there should be a change in the way things are done both at the leadership and the led level.

“We believe that if there is to be a physical change within our environment, those to focus on are the students themselves.

“This is because not only are they the drivers of the change that we desire in our nation, there is a need to build leadership capabilities and capacities from the institution,” he said.

The CDS said that the renovation was a starting point as well as a link between the alumni and the leadership of the institution in problem-solving efforts.

He said that leadership was key to the progress of any establishment, saying the students’ leadership needed strong mental capacity to lead others well.

“You can only make a change by the virtue of what you are able to think. Our creative ability is what is going to make an impact going forward.

“If the larger student body must have a direction, then, of course, the executives of the students’ union must equally have the mental capacity they need to lead them well.

“We want to begin to see how problems could be solved in such a manner that value is brought into the way we do things,” he said.

Irabor lauded the leadership of the University, as well as the students’ union for the honour, accorded him and his team,

Irabor also unveiled the Ken Saro-Wiwa Peace and Leadership Centre at the same university which now includes relaxation, seminars and leadership workshop centres before the renovation, was in a deteriorated state for student union activities.

The renovation was a collaboration between the students’ union representatives, the University management and a committee led by the CDS, Irabor.

The Ken Saro-Wiwa Peace and Leadership Center was renovated as part of activities to preserve the contributions of Ken-Saro Wiwa to peace and unity in Nigeria.

The student union executives under the leadership of Folahan Olayiwola thanked General Irabor for the gesture saying they will make use of the building positively.

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