Former military head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd) has sued for a peaceful co-existence among Nigerians, saying that any individual or collective ambitions as well as the entity called Nigeria, will be no more if crisis or major war is visited on Nigeria.He particularly admonished politicians who are fanning the embers of division and war via their utterances to have a rethink and promote things that would strengthen the fragile peace and unity of Nigeria.Speaking yesterday as a special guest of honour at the first National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Faculty of Social Sciences public lecture with the topic Nigeria in Transition: Interrogating the nexus between human capacity development, labour union, education and national security, Abdulsalami insisted that Nigeria and Nigerians can only enjoy peace and progress in an atmosphere that is well secured and fortified against external aggression.He said, Certainly, security in any house, in any nation is very important for the peace and progress of that nation. But without security, there wont be a house, neither would there be a nation, not to talk of its citizens, he said.The ex-military head of state also suggested a paradigm shift in security system of Nigeria, considering the new waves of crime and criminality that has caused tears and pains in many countries of the world.Earlier in his remarks, the Vice Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu, highlighted the importance of the lecture, which according to him, was a veritable platform to periodically examine all facet of the Nigerias national life particularly as it concerns transition as a nation.Adamu, who was represented by Prof Rufai Alkali, commended NOUN Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Dr. Ganiyat Adesina-Uthman for putting together the public lecture, encouraging other faculties to emulate such gesture for collective growth and development of Nigeria.The Dean, in her remarks admitted that even though things have gone, it could still be corrected but all Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion and political affiliation must support and commit to the course.She said, With the collapse of almost all sphere of the economy, elections characterized by malpractices, political intimidation and assassination during and after elections and preponderance of social vices, and other threat to national security, we could conclude that our dysfunctional education are some of the reason for the challenges regarding insecurity, insurgency and terrorism.Meanwhile, the guest lecturer, Prof. Hakeem Tijani from the Department of History and International Studies, Adeleke University, Osun state, recalled with nostalgia, the cordial relationship that hitherto existed between different arms of government which resulted in growth and development.He said relationship also led to industrial peace between different labour unions and their employers.He highlighted the importance of education to human capacity development which automatically translate to national development, predicting greater human and infrastructural development of Nigeria if all the key arms of government would collectively forge ahead, leaving behind, their differences and personal ambitions.
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