Academicians task FG on tackling insecurity, nepotism, ASUU strike, others 

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The Nigerian Academy of Letters, an autonomous, non-political body of humanities scholars, has urged the Federal Government to prioritise nation-building, and address the spate of insecurity, nepotism, ASUU strikes, and other problems bedevilling the country.

This call was made in a communique the NLA issued during their 24th Nigerian Academy Of Letters’ Convocation, Investiture Of New Members, which was held recently at the University Of Lagos.

The event themed ‘Cultural Commonalities in Nigeria’s Heterogeneity’ had in attendance 84 professors from different Nigerian and overseas universities.

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Academicians expressed their dismay in a communique signed by NLA President, Professor Duro Oni, about how profiteering party politics is shifting the focus away from identified commonalities that unite Nigerians and drumming up factors that divide rather than unite Nigerians.

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The statement read, “The political class continues to fan the embers of ethnic division and divisiveness along the fault lines of ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, and gender, among other factors that segregate.

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“Different ethnic groups within the Nigerian polity shared commonalities before colonialism. The colonial encounter and its aftermath have entrenched consequences for our commonality. These are among the major and it is one of factors fuelling poverty, hostilities, and contestations over land and other resources in this government.

“Material and non-material cultures like language have been manipulated for political and economic domination to sponsor and widen dividing lines, through the polarization agenda.

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“There is an unfortunate problem in the management of the diverse human and material resources in Nigeria, which constitutes a stumbling block to building a stronger nation and consequently encourages internal conflict and insecurity. Therefore, Nigerians fail to enjoy the benefits accruable from common humanity.”

READ ALSO: ASUU strike: Over 1m fresh students at home as tertiary institutions suspend admission

According to the NLA, the absence of the political will to deal decisively with the internal sponsors of conflict, banditry, insurgency, terrorism, abduction, wanton killings across Nigeria, and threat to the Nigerian state for different reasons is a clear deficit in governance.

“Corruption remains a challenge to be surmounted rather than tolerated or treated feebly and unenthusiastically by this government.

“The present impunity and disregard for human dignity, the rule of law, and federal character as witnessed on the national front is tantamount to a lack of respect for humanity and national goals; and

“The humanities continue to be marginalised by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)”, the statement read.

On the way forward, NLA gingered the government to exhibit the political will to address the problems of human dignity, common humanity, and nation-building despite the cultural heterogeneities in the country.

“Put an end to the attachment to money politics and crass consumerism that place a low premium on values, the right to life and dignity of the person to forge a country of dignified people towards free, fair and credible elections in 2023,” the statement read.

The FG was also charged to address the challenges constituted by internal and international migration, plus the menace of armed banditry, insurgency, and ethnic dissonance. And utilise positive means to disseminate cultural values and promote nationhood.

They also advised the FG to discourage the negative socialisation of Nigerian youths through the disparaging and derogatory use of linguistic tags, stereotypes, and disdain for other cultures.

”FG must Forge national identity and ideology through policies and philosophies that highlight the shared commonality and oneness of Nigerians and refrain from laws, policies, and ideological inconsistencies that have grossly marred citizenship roles and responsibilities, as well as the gross abuse of the Federal Character Principle as enshrined in S. 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended).

“Resolve the protracted strikes by the staff unions in all the tertiary institutions in the country. There is an urgent need to revamp the deteriorated educational resources and infrastructure at all levels.

“Deliberately reduce poverty and bridge the gap between the rich and the poor in the face of inflation and dwindling natural resources with more matching capacity for production.

“And investigate the nepotism and disregard for inclusiveness, major factors contributing to the systemic disintegration of Nigeria, resulting in weak federating units and monitor the outcomes from the appropriate treatment of the national question, federal character, and values that build not just a country, but a nation where every citizen has a sense of acceptance”, the communique read.

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