Gen. Bajowa advocates devolution of power as panacea for security challenge as OSAWA holds summit.
– Steve Ovirih.
A call for devolution of power as a remedy for the growing security challenge bedeviling Nigeria has been harped on. Making this call as a matter of urgency now that the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation state is being challenged by insurgency groupings and armed bandits was Prince Dr. (Gen) Olu Bajowa, OFR, the Jagunmolu of Ikaleland and Ojagbulegun from The Source in his keynote address as the Father of the Day at the Ondo South Security Economic , and Leadership Summit held at Ile Oluji on Saturday, July 17th.
The summit which was organized by Ondo South Advancement and Welfare Consultative Association ( OSAWA) had as its theme ” Responsible Leadership ; a Panacea for Economic growth, Youth Involvement and Potential Development of Ondo South.”
Gen. Olu Bajowa (RTD) , who was represented by a legal luminary, Barr. Ilemobayo Ehinmosan said the theme of discussion at the summit is very apt and appropriate for the current and prevailing political climate in the country.
Gen. Bajowa in his speech condemned the spate of growing insecurity in Nigeria, noting that security which include protection of lives of citizens , their property, economy and institution is the primary duty or responsibility of government. ” As you are all aware, security which is the defence of a nation or state , including the protection of lives and property of its citizens , economy and its institution is regarded as the primary duty or responsibility of government.
” The traditional role of protection against military attack is now widely understood to include non military dimensions , including security from sabotage and terrorism, fight against criminality, economic security, energy security , physical security , infrastructural security ( airport, highways , rail transport , hospital, critical bridges , transport hub, network communication, media , the electricity grid, dams , power plants , seaports , oil refineries and water systems), environmental security, food security , border security, cyber security , activities of drugs and narcotic cartels and also the effect of natural disasters.
The retired Army General said the Nigeria Police Force and the Armed forces of the federation ( Army, Navy and Air Force) which are organized on a one -.line command structure have the primary role and responsibility of the internal security and the territorial defence of the nation as coded in the 1999 constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
In his honest assessment of the security situation of the country, Gen. Bajowa maintained that insecurity in Nigeria can be seen as a product of unemployment and poverty , adding that youth development scheme which should include compulsory education for all , skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development are keys to good governance that is focused on general security.
” Recently, insecurity challenge in the country is further compounded by a unitary system of government for a multi ethnic and multicultural country like Nigeria.
” The panacea to our security problem is devolution of power with the establishment of State Police and decentralization of the force down to country’s critical infrastructural levels as it is the practice in other countries,” Gen Bajowa stressed.
The Jagunmolu of Ikaleland therefore suggested a review and overhaul of the present security architecture in line with the social existential reality of the present day Nigeria. ” To curb insecurity in Nigeria, we need devolution of power where there should be at all levels of governance, inclusiveness, fairness , equity , Justice and rule of law , and of course, under a detribalised leadership with integrity.”
Gen. Bajowa saluted the commitment of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to the protection of lives and property of the people of Ondo State and extolled the boldness of the Governor in gifting the state the security outfit codenamed ‘ Amotekun corps’ which has been combating sundry crimes across their mandate areas of the state.
While charging government to take a more serious look at the need to shore up the security of the nation, Gen. Bajowa insisted that it will be an inconceivable embarrassment to hand over the security of Nigeria to mercenaries to help fight the insurgents, and criminal bandits.
He noted that part of the challenge the nation is battling is huge unemployment and our approach to solving this challenge has to be rejigged if we are to succeed as a nation state.
On the October 2020 EndSars protest by hoodlums in Okitipupa who destroyed government facilities, Gen. Bajowa noted that Ikale Rehabilitation Committee ( IRC) under his Chairmanship has set machinery in motion to achieve their set objective which is the rebuilding of the touched facilities, noting that reconstruction work had been completed at the High Court, Okitipupa and judicial services have returned to the Okitipupa Judicial Division.
Gen. Bajowa said the hoodlums are unemployed youths who have misplaced their priorities, adding that there is need for reorientation of values across board in the country. ” Nigerian youths have great aspirations and expectations . They also have great frustration with the slow and ineffective manner with which successive governments they look up to with anticipation have mishandled the actualization of their dreams.” While calling on government to provide expected leadership and adhere to the social contract between them and the citizenry, Gen Bajowa charged the youths not to despair and not to resort to taking laws into their hands.
Fellow discussant at the Summit, Hon. Wale Akinterinwa, Commissioner for Finance , Ondo State said Ondo South is hosting the proposed Deep Seaport which is expected to accelerate more economic activities and boost local and international trade. He mentioned that the proposed Lagos/ Ondo South route also along the old Coastal road is expected to solidify and strengthen vital economic links to neighboring Ogun and Lagos State. ” We can therefore increase the tempo of commercial activities in the South Senatorial District as it will also serve all the multiple sources of tourism which will boost economic activities. We cannot talk of these advancement of commerce in the Southern Senatorial District without mentioning the contribution of Ondo State Government under the able leadership.of our indefatigable Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,( SAN). The passion of Gov. Akeredolu to ensure that government presence is felt across Ondo South Senatorial District through developmental projects and industrialization cannot be overemphasized,” Hon Akinterinwa noted.
He said the good people of Ondo South must come together to project the zone as one united and cohesive entity within the diverse and larger Ondo State with greater potential and evidence of a brighter future. ” Ondo South Senatorial District is highly sophisticated and politically conscious. It is the home of many eminent Nigerians who are making waves in their respective field of endeavors across various sectors.
” The huge human asset is a pride which also accounts for our reputation as an achieving zone that cannot be reduced to the background. Our District occupies a strategic position in the South West, the Niger Delta and the economic life of Nigeria. It is more or less the lone oil producing district in South West , Nigeria and a highly dependable revenue comes from here to our dear state. Besides the oil deposit beneath our soil in Ondo South, our district has also been catapulted into prominence as the home of Bitumen, the second largest deposit in the world,” Akinterinwa said. He challenged the people of the Southern Senatorial District to forge a common front in their bid to cause a positive economic turn around for the area.
Akinterinwa however lamented the killing effect of power outage on the local economy of the people of the district , calling on leaders and stakeholders of the district to brainstorm on the best and quickest approach to resolving this energy challenge to the district.
Ondo State Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa who was equally represented by Prince Segun Omojuwa commended the organizer of the Summit for the timing and relevance of the Summit as well as the theme which speaks to the core of the bid for the economic advancement of the Southern Senatorial District through responsible leadership and youth development. He said the theme is not just for Ondo South but entire Ondo State and Nigeria at large. ” There is no doubt that the development of a state like ours is intertwined as every part of the state is blessed with comparative advantage in one thing or the other.
” What we are doing here today is therefore an effort on the part of Ondo South to contribute to the overall wellbeing of our dear Sunshine State. It goes to motive that OSAWA has assembled an array of development experts to interface and bring up conversation on the social economic growth of an integral part of Ondo State,” Lucky Aiyedatiwa enthused.
He noted that the question of leadership and development in Nigeria has been on the front burner of national discourse over time and it is common knowledge that the development of a nation does not necessarily depend on the abundance of natural or mineral resources.
While maintaining that the entire Ondo State has been favourably blessed with abundance of human and natural resources, Ondo South has been more blessed as she can boast of adequate natural resources and quite cerebral human resources. He said the question that all well meaning people of Ondo South should conscientiously answer is ” what is the missing link between the resources abundance and development in Ondo South?”
A major highlight of the Summit was the presentation of special recognition award to Gen. Olu Bajowa, OFR , who was the Father of the Day at the event. The organizer noted that Gen. Bajowa occupies a pride of place in Ondo South, Ondo State and Nigeria for his unquantifiable role in the development of the nation and his home stead , Ondo South Senatorial District, noting that Jagunmolu has continued to be a rallying point and a quintessential role model in the Sunshine State.
Gen. Bajowa who thanked the organizers for singling him out for recognition supported them with a cheque of two hundred and fifty thousand Naira, promising to continue to identify with the lofty dream of a better Ondo South Senatorial District.
