….Says It’s Important For Nation Building
Former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Barr. Kanu Agabi has called for immediate establishment of a National Integration Commission whose responsibility is to propose and implement measures for national integration.
He said this will help to unite the nation sufficiently and end problems of insecurity and corruption.
He stated this while delivering the 23rd Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture entitled: Nigeria’s Pathways: Diagnosis and the prescriptions held at the Muson Center, Lagos, on Thursday.
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He said that there is absolute need to integrate the nation, adding a Nigerian ought to be able to seek elective office or any other office wherever he lives irrespective of tribe or religion.
“He ought to be able to find employment in the public service of the state of his residence and what should determine his eligibility for office ought not to be his place of origin but his place of residence and qualification for the job he seeks”.
Barrister Agabi said that the time has come when we must cease to treat one another as strangers in our own land.
“Peace is not going to spring out of the ground just as trouble does not spring out of the ground but is made by man, therefore all hands must be on deck to raise our country from the valley of disunity, of uncertainty, of violence and corruption.
“We must begin to reach out to one another across state boundaries, we must think as black people, we must think as Africa, we must think as Nigerians because the evil of tribalism is destroying the nation and undermining our capacity to give leadership to the black race.
He said that Nigerians must think as those to whom the Lord has giving the leadership of the black race and we now exercise that leadership because if we have not already lost the respect of the whole world, we are in danger of doing so.
“We must work towards the day when more nations of Africa shall come into our union, as happened in America and Europe. The entire world is coming together though the process is slow but it is on and unless we are vigilant, we shall lose our identity and be assimilated, “he explained.
Talking about the state of the nation, Agabi said that no one should act indifferent but rather talk about them and when and where there is need for correction as there is now, there is the need to take steps to correct the ills that daily befall the nation.
He explained that the tenets of Nigeria require radical change. “We must make ourselves the agents of the required change and if we fail to do our duty, no one is going to do it for us.
“It is for us therefore to recognize and build upon our insights because salvation can only come from within.”
He further said: “We must develop pride in the nation, take trouble to learn our history and appreciate our culture because our country is ours to build and no one is going to build it for us and the emphasis must shift from what the nation can do for us to what we can do for the nation.
“We are a God-fearing nation and that is why the nation continues to survive but what we lack is the right leadership.
“We therefore pray for our statesmen, all our leaders, and rulers, indeed all of us, that we may be quiet in spirit, clear in judgement and able to understand and resolve our predicament.”
Listing the quality of a leader the country needs at this time, Agabi said our leaders must have a vision of where they are taking the nation; they must appreciate that they are elected or appointed to enlarge the lives and opportunity of others, not just their own or those of their families or friends.
He added that they must be able to mediate amongst the various factions that divide the nation; they must be patient, confident; persevere in the face of frustration; they must be hard working; they must be merciful and not vindictive and in a nation as difficult as ours, they must be resilient.
“The great necessities of our times, the great challenges and difficulties that we have to contend with, the uncertainties that confront us on every side, offer opportunities for the true leaders to immortalise themselves.
“The true leaders must appreciate that immorality is not to be found in material things but sacrifice. He must be a man of character and discipline, a worthy ambassador of the people.
“The modesty and austerity of life should be a worthy example in this age of opulence. He must be a character that the people can justifiably look upon him as their common property.
Speaking on the way out of situation in the country, Agabi said it is a must to reconcile the fact that there is in existence a binding constitution and it is from that constitution that all persons and institutions derive their authority.
“To dismiss the constitution as a product of the military is unrealistic and lack of respect for the constitution has played a significant role in in our downfall.
He added: “Individuals and states must comply with the constitution because the stability, integrity and unity of the nation is dependent on compliance with the constitution.
“The only way open to individuals who desire to implement policies or programmes inconsistent with the provisions of constitution is to secure its amendment and until that is done, we have to abide by the constitution.”
He added that to proceed on the basis that the constitution does not exist is to deny the existence of the nation itself.
“We have also to acknowledge that changing the constitution is extremely difficult, nevertheless, however difficult task, it is necessary thing to do. We must begin by identifying the deficiencies in the constitution. Our approach must not be timid and we must be willing to act in bold and daring ways when the situation demands it.”
He said that whether or not the nation is going to be self-reliant depends to a large extent on the education that we offer our youth.
He said the nation must teach, not only the use of the mind but also the use of the hands.
This is to him is because the studies that we offer to our young ones ought to be of great utility to the nation. “Education should not render the recipients unfit for the practical duties of life as it appears to be doing. Our studies must be relevant to our condition and aspirations.
The elder state man said those institutions fighting corruption have done very well and should be commended.
He however added that if we appear to be losing the fight against corruption, the fault is not theirs but the unchanging nature of those involved in corruption.
He advised that the country should instead use the menace to her advantage by encouraging those stocking their money abroad to invest in the country.
He explained that government is founded on patronage and it ought not to be so.
He added that government at all levels must institute merit and must not be run along the lines of patronage. We must restore all the structures for accountability which in many states have been destroyed.
Barr. Agabi said the measures that are required during this period in the country are drastic adding that when a nation has been down for as long as Nigeria has been down, a casual approach will not resolve the problems.
“The medications must commensurate with the disease. That is why we chose a presidential system of government vesting all executive powers in the President. Powers which will enable the President to apply drastic measures to take the nation along the path of austerity and sacrifice which leads to self -reliant.
“We must sacrifice some of our pleasures and if necessary, our lives, if we are going to be able to bequeath anything to our posterity.
He commended Bishop Mike Okonkwo for the consistency of the programme over the years which he said will go a long way in shaping the nation.
BV.
