•Yakubu Dogara
A former Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has attributed Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges in Nigeria to bad governance, which can only be nipped in the bud if the leaders can rise up and save the situation.
Yakubu made this declaration yesterday in Ibadan while presenting his keynote address at the 2025 World Interfaith Harmony Week conference and awards with the theme “The love of the Good, and the love of the neighbours”.
The event was attended by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former governor of Ogun state, Senator Gbenga Daniel, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar who was represented by President of Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev. Daniel Okoh, former President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Supo Ayokunle, Executive Secretary of MUSWEN, Professor Muslih Tayo Yahaya and Dr. Yemi Farounbi.
Dogara who was represented by Hon. Timothy Golu maintained that Nigeria had witnessed a number of crises since independence, the worst of which was the civil war from 1966 to 1970, reports Daily Independent.
He however lamented that Nigeria has not learned much from that sordid episode, after all.
Dogara said that Boko Haram insurgency that broke out in Borno state in 2009 has now metamorphosised into one of the most dangerous international terrorist organisations.
He lamented that its establishment, Boko Haram has led to the death of thousands of people and displacement of over five million others.
He said that the current challenges facing the country are the bye products of bad governance.
Dogara cautioned that the current challenges may not be tackled if leaders do not rise up and save the situation.
“For the 12 months preceding December 12, 2024, 10 countries were categorised as extreme-conflict countries. These are – Palestine, Myanmar, Syria, Mexico, Nigeria, Brazil, Lebanon, Sudan, Cameroon and Colombia. It is no surprise that Nigeria occupies the 6th position on the global chart. We have had a number of crises since independence, the worst of which was the civil war from 1966 to 1970. Seems we didn’t learn much from that sordid episode, after all. The evidence of our abysmal failure at nation building are right under our noses- the formation or the rise of secessionist groups such as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Niger Delta Frontier Force, Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Oduduwa People’s Congress among other.
“However, it is in this democratic era that we are now witnessing the worst security challenges in Nigeria. The Boko Haram insurgency that broke out in Borno state in 2009 has now metamorphosised into one of the most dangerous international terrorist organisations leading to the deaths of thousands of people and displacement of over five million others. At some point, Nigeria was ranked the third most terrorized country in the world after Afghanistan and Iraq.
“This is apart from mass kidnappings for ransom, banditry, armed robbery, ethnic and religious clashes. Also, Farmer-Herders crisis has bedeviled Nigeria for some unbroken years now. It has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, damaged local economies, and entrenched ethnic and religious polarization which continue to claim thousands of live Successive administrations since 1999 have been unable to tackle this primarily due to ineffective responses.
“Only the uninformed doubts the fact that, as it is, we have arrived at our moments of national peril. Unfortunately, our history is marked by disturbing anecdotes of series of ethno religious violence that have profoundly stymied nation building. I have said before that we cannot lose the fight against violence and still keep our civilization and country.
“Therefore, if our democracy must deliver on its promises, we must deploy our collective will and energy to root out violence. For it is not materialistic things, power or pride that make a nation great and strong, only the willingness of great men and women within it to reach out to each other and work together.
“I presume it is because of lack of leadership and denial of personal responsibility which has become a moral epidemic today. Leaders think and talk about solutions and responsibility is at the heart of leadership because the leader is the one who responds to a need. That response may be to God’s call or to the needs they see around them, in this case, the unmitigated violence we witness on a daily basis. It is said that, “everything rises and falls on leadership”.
“No society throughout history has ever risen above the level of its leadership. Sadly, when we abdicate our responsibility, all we have left is to cover up our weakness as in the case with us now. Assuredly, our lives will begin to change the day we take responsibility for it. The future of peace, development and progress is very possible but only if we take the risk and accept the responsibility of consciously creating it”.
