Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the current security challenges in the country are difficult for the police to handle due to the enormous size of the country.
He however said there is a need for the re-arrangement of the security structure of Nigeria which is ongoing for the security agencies to curb the insecurity ravaging the country.
Osinbajo made the declaration on Tuesday when he received the traditional ruler of Yakanaje Uke in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Ahmed Abdullahi Hassan, on a courtesy visit at the presidential villa, Abuja.
He however maintains confidence that the country will be able to overcome the security challenges, saying the Nigerian government was restrategising the entire security architecture in the country.
The VP was quoted on Tuesday in a statement issued by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, as saying, “there is no question at all that we are facing security challenges, but we are able to overcome them. The role of the leadership is to sit down to think through the problems.”
“This is a big country, so policing is very difficult. There is a need for us to reorganise our security architecture, which is what is going on now.”
Journal Reporters learns that The Vice President is confident that the present challenges will prepare Nigeria for a greater and prosperous future, urging the traditional institution to support the re-engineering process as he said, “I believe strongly that the reason why we are experiencing what we are going through today is that we are being prepared for the future.”
“A future where we will take into account all of the problems because if we haven’t gone through the problems we are going through now, it will be difficult for us to appreciate the importance of fairness and justice, the importance of giving people a voice and a representation. I am very pleased to hear about what you are doing.”
“One of the reasons why we have some of the divisions and conflicts in the parts of the country is because people do not feel included in the management of affairs in their localities.”
Commending the Yakanaje for his leadership style, the Vice President said, “I think you have created an opportunity where the options are available for bringing appeals to a centre of fairness and justice for people from across the country, and its one that is to be emulated.”
“And I think that this is the way Nigeria should be. We should be able to say that no matter where you are from if you have the talent if you work hard, you will succeed wherever you are. You will not be constrained by your political, ethnic or religious affiliations.”
He adds that, “every great society that has succeeded in the world is multiethnic and they succeeded because they brought in talents from all over the place.”
The Vice President admonished traditional rulers to expliot fully their influence over communities to enhance positive change for the good of the entire society.
He further explained that, “it is sometimes very easy to underestimate the importance of the traditional institution. But the sheer size of the places where you superintend speaks volumes about the potential of our traditional rulers.”
On his part, the traditional ruler commended the Vice President for his ability to bring people of different ethnic groups in the country together.
In his kingdom in Karu LGA of Nasarawa, he said, “we are emulating your efforts, bringing ethnic groups in Nigeria together as one.”
Commending the efforts of the Emir in promoting unity and peaceful coexistence, the Vice President noted that, “I have heard a lot about the work that is going on and particularly fascinating for me is the fact that you have somehow managed to bring together a representation of Nigeria into the management of the affairs of your kingdom.”
Osinbajo further said, “this is very commendable and it is something that we must commend and see how it is replicated in other parts of the country.”
The paramount ruler appealed to the Nigerian Government to incorporate the traditional institution in the operation of some of its intervention schemes for small businesses and the less privileged.
He said traditional rulers are closer to the people and understand the issues and needs in the local environments, hence the need to be involved in the implementation of the schemes.
Reviewed by Apeh Matthew
on
April 29, 2021
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