Aside man’s inhumanity to man, the nature of insecurity in Nigeria has been located in ignorance, poverty, class, and ideological differences. A multi-faceted approach, encompassing focus on God and spiritual rebirth, has therefore been recommended to restore the country on the path of peace and development.
A Professor of Public Administration, Inyokwe Sunday Otinche, made the proposal while delivering the 42nd Inaugural Lecture of the Federal University, Lokoja recently. He spoke on the topic: The Looking Glass-Self Perspective of How Never to Build a Nation in the New World Order: Reflections on Nation Building Experiments in Nigeria.
“Those who may have heard the cry of victims of banditry and kidnapping in captured communities may be tempted to say ‘weep not child.’ But it is difficult to tell the victims not to cry. Rather, they should cry to God and not to man.
“The Nigerian situation is likened to the case of the biblical Israelites, where God handed them over to their enemies as punishment for disobedience..
“The bandits, kidnappers, and Boko Haram are battle axes in the hands of God deployed against Nigerians for their idolatry and disobedience
“This divine theory explains the origin and causes of terrorism and banditry in Nigeria. The origin and causes are metaphysical and can only be effectively confronted with metaphysical weapons. Physical weapons only complement it.
“From my analytical point of view, the affiliation of bandits and terrorist groups with ethnic and religious groups shows the lack of theological understanding of our national security challenges.
“I therefore call on Nigeria to mend their ways with God and “Fear not. Stand still and see the salvation of God. For the Egyptians you see today, you will see them no more” (Exodus 14 vs 13). In Psalm 46 vs 6)
“God says “He makes wars to cease unto the end of the earth, he breaketh the bow; and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariots in the fire (Psalm 46 vs 9). For God to step into the fight against banditry and terrorism in Nigeria, we need to repent of our evil ways and forgive and tolerable one another irrespective of religious, ethnic and political affiliations.”
The public policy analyst shed light on the various challenges confronting the country and called for the joint participation of the citizenry in confronting them.
“What I have tried to do is to hold-up a mirror so that you can see your own reflection. If you do not like what you see, breaking the mirror will not change anything, neither will cutting my arms off; killing me will change even less. The truth of man cannot be dissolved in his blood”
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Gbenga Ibileye reiterated the commitment of the institution to research, discipline, academic excellence, and the culture of inaugural lectures.
