The Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Major General John Ochai, has said that the Afe Babalola University has carved a niche for itself in the areas of education, healthcare, entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
The military officer spoke on Wednesday while delivering the 4th Are Afe Babalola Distinguished Personality Lecture Series with the topic: “Insecurity, Leadership And Peace Building In Nigeria: Dynamics And Challenges held at the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) in Ekiti State.
In a show of acknowledgment and appreciation, the NDA Commandant bestowed honour on Are Afe Babalola with the two star general of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna by presenting him a plaque of the institution.
According to him “this is what is needed to drive away our youths away from crime and other acts that are inimical to the well-being of our society.
“We should have more charitable individuals who would contribute more to the development of the society, thereby creating employment, creating wealth and educating the teeming youth population and also provide healthcare services for the society.
He said insecurity in Nigeria society could be addressed by inclusive governance, representation and participation of diverse groups in the country, dialogue and negotiations, constructive engagements of citizens.
General Ochai said there must also be security sector reform by strengthening security agencies and ensuring accountability.
The NDA Commandant also stressed need for the involvement of the military, the government, security agencies, society groups, individual citizens including educational institutions as part of the lasting remedies for insecurity in the nation.
He, however, posited that it is the responsibility of every citizen to pass information to security agencies for them to work upon saying “This is the key role of all the citizens and also their responsibility to focus on national development”.
He described insecurity as one of the most formidable challenges confronting the developmental drive of any society saying Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country have been facing persistent threats, national stability, economic development and human well-being.
“Nigeria’s insecurity crisis exemplified by the 2014 Chibok Girls abduction has far-reaching consequences including humanitarian crisis, economic instability.
The founder and Chancellor of ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola in his remarks said the constitutional responsibility of the military is to ensure and maintain the territorial integrity of a state while that of the Police is to ensure obedience to law and order.
“If we want the country to move forward, our law should be amended in such a way to saddle the military with the enforcement and obedience to law and order in this country.
“For me, the military today, is the most disciplined institution in this country. The problem we have today in Nigeria is nothing other than lack of discipline. And this is right from leadership, to the followership.
“How can there be security, leadership and peace when there is no order?, he queried. There is even a biblical saying to wit, that, order is the first law in heaven. As a person, I appreciate, and also enforce it.
“If an offender sees a police man on an Okada, he does not accord any of them any iota of respect. However, when a man sees a soldier, he quickly comports himself. That is the quantum of respect often accorded the military.
“The time has therefore come for all of us to unite, ensure order, because orderliness and and discipline in our society is the only and the surest way forward.”
Babalola, who commended the type of uncommon discipline in the military, said he was surprised in 2016, when he was conferred with the honorary Doctor of Letters, (D. Lit) by the Nigerian Defence Academy, during which the hall where the event held, was not only perfectly quiet, but also that nobody, dared living his or her seat, throughout the duration.
“To me, that was the peak of orderliness and discipline. Before that day, i had believed that my university was the epitome of order, orderliness and discipline, such that some are even saying ABUAD is more of a military institution, but with what I saw that day at NDA, I gave, and still give kudos for the military for it’s discipline,” Babalola said.