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Barrister Solomon Dalung
By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Political leaders in the country particularly those who have contributed to exhibit selfish interests and religious bigotry have been indicted for fueling the spate of insecurity in the country thereby putting lives of innocent citizens in danger on a daily basis.
The assertion was made by a former Nigeria’s Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung who said that unless such bad leaders eschew sentiments and reset their cultural values, they cannot surmount the security challenges bedeviling the nation.
Solomon Dalung stated this on Tuesday during the first National Conference of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Bauchi Chapter, which has as theme” Insecurity, Economic Growth and Governance Triangle: Nigeria in Focus”, held at the ASUP Secretariat Bauchi.
The former Minister also said that, “it is very disheartening today that Nigeria cultural values have been distorted” , alleging that, “the hypocritical nature of the value system of the elite class is responsible for the mutual suspicion, hatred and mistrust among Nigerians” .
The former Minister added that, “If leaders in the country are sincere in addressing this challenge of security at hand passionately, devoid of sentiments, Nigeria would have come out of it’s predicaments long ago” .
He also said that, “The missing link is the cultural link which constitute the foundation upon which every super structure of our society is founded upon”
“We cannot access good governance without addressing our value system, if we as leaders are crying foul, that Nigeria is in a mess, then it means that we have not interrogated the true values of the society”, he further said.
Solomon Dalung added that, “The significance of our cultural values cannot be dispensed in building our nation.We must as a people, try to develop our national identity and provide the enabling environment of uniting ourselves”.
He however accused Northern leaders for the predicaments of the Fulani race, adding that Northern leaders should stop blaming Southern leaders and treat the Fulani with justice to bring an end to the problem of farmers and herders clash in the country.
The former Minister said that the welfare of traditional leaders in the country must be addressed to restore peace as they are the custodian of the people culture even as he warned leaders against contaminating tradition with politics.
He called on leadership at levels to involve the youths in national building, saying that the youths have been excluded in the affairs of the nation, a development he noted has made them to engage in criminal acts such as kidnapping, banditry, insurgency and other social vices.
