By Dada Ahmed in Lokoja.
A Nigerian Professor of History and International Studies, Mohammed Suleiman Audu ,says time is riped for the world leaders bto begin the process of paradigm shift to ending unabated conflicts and the attendance consequences on humanity and society.
Prof. M S Audu, delivering the 7th Inaugural lecture of the Federal University, Lokoja.
Audu,who is the Deputy Vice Chancellor,
Academy), Federal University, Lokoja (FUL), Kogi state, stated this on Wednesday in Lokoja when he delivered the 7th Inaugural lecture of the institution, entitled, “Life is Endless Battle: The World is Becoming Less Peaceful.”
The professor, who specialises in conflict resolution and management and gender issues, said in achieving peace, the world leaders must take cognizance of Mitchell’s models of “ripe moment”, hurting stalemate”,”imminent mutual catastrophe”, game of entrapment” and enticing opportunities.”
“The don also drew the attention of the leaders concerned to Mitchell’s opinion which stressed the imperative of ensuring that “recognition, dialogue and legitimacy are preconditions for ending violent conflict.”
The lecturer added that it had become exceedingly clear that in order not to set “house ablaze”, there was need to construct a pragmatic-strategy agenda, to enable the people cross the many rivers ahead.
He noted with dismay that the endless battles across the globe had dealt collateral damage to the peoples and continents with per capital income of warring nations dropped significantly.
According to the professor, average annual growth rate has reduced to the barest minimum, while fatalities arising from armed conflict, contagious diseases,refugee habitation remaing unparale as a result of the conflict ravaging the world.
The professor, a widely travelled academician,also expressed concern that global conflict had led to economic, political and social legacy costs with disturbingly monumental proportion.
He, however, called on governments to be careful and tactical in dealing with the conflict issues and development, to avoid things spiraling out of control.
“Governments must assuage the hurt by providing all enablement to calm frail nerves. Diplomacy,Carrot and Stick approaches must be employed in calming the hurt,” advised.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor, who re-emphasised that the cardinal responsibility of any government revolved around the security of life and property of its citizens, without encombrances, said government must decisively tackle the menace of terrorism, insurgencies,banditary and all forms of criminalities in the polities.
He also called for the stepping up of the stage of usual lamentation and stem the tide swiftly, adding that security agencies must work in collaboration to ensure attainment of better results.
According to the lecturer,who is also an Ebira extraction from Kogi state, there was embarrassing dearth of pre emptive intelligence, leading to post damage response to national security, pointing out that governments must develop professional capacity, build trust and sound equipped-led intelligence outfits capable of counter force.
He used the occasion to highlight the devastating effects of the ongoing insecurity in Nigeria, supporting his fact with gory pictures of victims, especially in the north east part of the country.
” The level of socio-economic deprivation, inequality and iniquity, globally,is astronomical. Governments need to close the gap and reduce the constraints. Consistent and delibrate welfare policies that are people-driven must be the focus of global governance.
“Government must understand the people’s psyche. The culture of alienation by government has caused many countries enormous catastrophe.The people have lost confidence in their various governments’ capabilities to combat insurgencies and terrorism.There is a yawning gap in the long years of neglect and failure to build effective and operational capacities in the security agencies. The time is now for all these abnormalities to stop,” the erudite scholar stressed.
Professor Audu also advised world leaders to imbibe the culture of wider consultation between the political and cultural establishments, understand the nature of problems and the kind of appropriate deployment as well as ensuring concerted efforts to enable them inculcate democracy and its core values in global politics.
Earlier in his speech, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, described the inaugural lecturer as a pride not only to the university, but also the global academic community, in view of his tremendous contributions to knowledge and other positive developments in the society.
The inaugural lecturer thanked all those who contributed to his tall academic achievements in life; including his parents, the lecturer that taught him History during his School of Basic Studies at the then Kwara State College of Technology, Ilorin, Dr Toluhi, who was among the audience at the occasion.
Our Correspondent reports that the wife of the lecturer, his children, professors, far and wide, students, politicians, members of the business community among other members of the society, attended the two-hour occasion.
Audience at the inaugural lecture.
