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Being keynote speech delivered By His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor Of Delta State, at the 2021 annual lecture and symposium organized By Ripples Centre For Data And Investigative Journalism (RCDIJ), August 25, 2021, At Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
PREAMBLE
I begin my address by appreciating the strong commitment of the Ripples Centre for Data and Investigative Journalism (RCDIJ) to the Nigerian Project, which is apparent in its sustained exploration of the theme, Rebuilding Trust in a Divided Nigeria: Advancing the Conversation. I recall that RCDIJ’s maiden exploration of this theme was in 2018, when our Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, delivered a luminous keynote speech, the relevance of which still endures.
INTRODUCTION
The leaders of the various regions and tribes… came together briefly to push for independence from British colonial rule. But having achieved this goal in October 1960, the regions had no real common ambition to galvanize their unity. Although many of the leaders of newly independent Nigeria were committed to the pan-Nigerian ideal, [this commitment was] abandoned at the first sign of tension and gave way to the parochial and tribal sentiments which had existed before independence….This post-independence state of affairs is partly to blame for the decimation of Nigeria’s First Republic (1963-1966) at the hands of the Nigerian military, who would go on to rule the country for over 30 years. (https://republic.com.ng › – retrieved 5/8/21)
THE STATE OF NIGERIA TODAY
– the unusually large number and the high frequency of demonstrations and protests, the most prominent of which was the 2020 #EndSARS nation-wide protests;
– labour discontent and frequent strikes often due to Government’s failure to implement negotiated and duly signed agreements;
– persistent calls for restructuring, fiscal federalism and devolution of powers to the States;
– insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, etc, leading to barbaric destruction of lives and property. The Nigerian Security Tracker of the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations reports that 54,362 were killed from 1st January 2015 to 2nd August 2021(https://www.cfr.org/nigeria/nigeria-security-racker/p29483 –retrieved 5/8/21).
– the proliferation of zonal security outfits and ethnic militias because, apparently, the Federal Security Agencies have become either ill-equipped, poorly funded or incapable to protect all citizens;
– increasing number of non-governmental organizations for the protection of human and child’s rights;
– increase in unemployment- and poverty-induced crimes, such as cybercrimes, human trafficking and international prostitution.
CAUSES OF DISUNITY
– ethnicity or tribalism and nepotism – it is regrettable that over the years, we have had leaders who chose to exploit the ethnic and religious fault lines in the country to advance their selfish political interests;
– lopsidedness in power sharing (marginalization of some sections of the country);
– corruption, lack of accountability and unproductivity, all resulting in poor economic growth;
– religious bigotry and intolerance;
– inequality and inequitable distribution of wealth;
– insecurity – personal, economic and food insecurity – inflicted on the country largely by criminal herdsmen and bandits;
– unemployment (the rate in Nigeria in 2020 was 32.5%);
– poverty (the rate in Nigeria in 2021 is 40%, which translates to 80 million citizens and it is estimated to be 45% or 90 million citizens in 2022);
BUILDING TRUST IN A UNITED NIGERIA: RECOMMENDATIONS
– Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme(STEP);
– Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme(YAGEP);
– Graduate Employment Enhancement Programme(GEEP);
– Rural Youth Skills Acquisition Programme(RYSA);
– Girls Entrepreneurship Skills Training (GEST); and
– Women Entrepreneurship Skills Acquisition Programme (WESAP).
CONCLUSION
Office of the Governor
Government House
Asaba
August 2021
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