– President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria’s past leaders failed the nation
– Buhari says past Nigerian leaders lacked foresight and uptightness
– The Nigerian president has beckoned on member-states of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), to join in fighting Boko Haram
– Buhari says terrorism and violent extremism has continued to wreak havoc in Nigeria
Past leaders of Nigeria were on Monday, September 19, blamed by President Muhammadu Buhari, for the country’s woes.
President Buhari said they lacked “foresight, uprightness and managerial skills.”
Buhari, who was represented by secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital, at the 20th memorial service of the first female industrialist in Nigeria and third Iyalode of Egbaland, late (Mrs) Esther Bisoye Tejuoso.
The memorial Service and Symposium at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, was organised by the Tejuoso Royal Family in conjunction with Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission.
Calling on Nigerians to be committed to the “unity, security and progress” of the country, the president said the enduring and honest legacies of the nation’s past heroes should inspire the rest of the living to be dedicated to progress and salvage Nigeria from the current economic recession.
Describing the late Chief Mrs Bisoye Tejuoso as a “mentor and shinning light” to many, he said if the nation’s past leaders had had the kind of “foresight, uprightness and managerial skills” of the late female industrialist, Nigeria probably would not be having the current economic trauma.
Buhari said: “If our leaders had demonstrated the foresight, uprightness and managerial skills of Chief Bisoye Tejuoso our economy would have been better. Our past leaders refused to save and diversify the economy. Chief Bisoye Tejuoso’s success story in business can serve as a roadmap on how we can come out of recession.”
“She rewarded excellence and merit. She was a true heroine and a woman of courage. Her life should propel us to dedicate our lives more to the unity, progress and security of our country,”the President said.
Also speaking at the occasion was Vice President Yemi Osibanjo who made case for state or community police to tackle the internal security challenges facing the country.
Osibanjo said the Nigerian police have not been able to “resolve” the puzzle behind the murder of the matriarch of Tejuoso dynasty 20 years after her killing. Chief (Mrs) Esther Bisoye Tejuoso, mother of a prominent Egba traditional ruler, Oba(Dr) Adedapo Tejuoso, was reportedly assassinated by 10 gunmen in her Lagos home on the 19th of September, 1996.
The vice president who recalled how the late industrialist gave him N12,000 in 1984 when his rented apartment in Lagos was gutted by fire, said Nigeria with a population of about 170million people cannot be adequately policed from Abuja Central Command.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has urged member-states of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), development partners and international community to assist security personnel, victims and countries affected by Boko Haram insurgency.
This is contained in a statement by the spokesperson, Nigerian Mission to UN, Akinremi Bolaji, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday.
The statement quoted the president as making the call in his speech at the 17th Summit of NAM at the Island of Margarita, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
NAM is a group of states which are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc.
Mr. Buhari stressed the need to provide assistance to member-countries that had borne the brunt of Boko Haram terrorism, and relief to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees.
He explained that twin scourge of terrorism and violent extremism had continued to wreak havoc in Nigeria and countries around Lake Chad Basin.
According to him, thousands of nationals have been killed and maimed in addition to the millions displaced from their homes.
He, however, stated that the capacity of Boko Haram had been severely degraded with huge sacrifices of the Nigerian Armed Forces and those of Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
While noting that the situation in some other parts of the world such as Libya, Iraq and Syria had continued to be a major concern, Buhari urged support for the peace process in those countries.
“It is essential that the Non-Aligned Movement finds a role for itself in addressing these challenges so as to retain its relevance in the world of today and in the future.
“In addressing the challenge of resource mobilization and flows for sustainable development of our countries, our collective solidarity is required now more than ever before, to uphold the Bandung Principles.
“I need not stress that cooperation among nations is an essential condition for global peace, security and a just world and economic order anchored on democratic values.’’
Buhari said that there was the need to associate fully with the statement by the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, Prayut Chan-o-cha, on behalf of Group 77 and China.
Mr Chan-o-cha, had said that there was a great opportunity for NAM to place the priority and concerns of the developing countries on the global agenda.
Buhari said the international community was currently faced with severe economic crisis characterized by the collapse of commodity prices, worsening youth unemployment and exchange rate instability, among others.
“We need to exchange experiences in tackling these challenges. We must create jobs for our teeming population and explore creative ways of adding value to our terms of trade among ourselves and the rest of the world.
“We must continue to fashion out concrete steps to enhance good governance in our countries, including tackling head on, the challenge of corruption and efficient allocation of scarce resources,” he said.
The minister of state for foreign affairs, Khadija Abba-Ibrahim, said at the meeting that Nigeria was firmly committed to the protection of civilians during armed conflict.
According to her, Nigeria recognises the primary responsibility of States to protect civilians within their national jurisdiction.
“This conviction underlines our government’s resolve to take all measures necessary to protect civilians in the battle against the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
“Surely, terrorism must be roundly condemned and rejected by all peace-loving nations and should never be justified or defended under any guise.
“Similarly, no action should also be taken to undermine the morale and professional efficiency of the gallant officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces and those of their partners in the sub-region as they prosecute this campaign,” she said.
Source: naij
