A
abujagirl
Guest
As delegates at the ongoing National conference continue to discuss President Goodluck Jonathan's inauguration speech, Frank Nweke Junior, former minister of Youth and former Minister of Information and Communications has given a very thoughtful speech.
In parts of his speech, Nweke said, "As a boy, I saw the seeds of Boko Haram sown"; a statement which has captured several attention.
Read full speech below:
Mr Chairman,
Thank you for the opportunity to offer my perspectives on the President’s speech of March 17, 2014.
I would like to describe that speech as perhaps one of the best of the Jonathan Presidency for its depth and import, its delivery and its potential to impact the course of our history as a nation.
That speech was profound in several respects but its most important element for me was the opportunity that it affords us to confront our problems as a people as captured on page 11.
I quote: “We cannot continue to fold our arms and assume that things will straighten themselves in due course, instead of taking practical steps to overcome impediments on our path to true nationhood, rapid development and national prosperity”
Indeed, Nigeria cannot develop by accident. No nation has and can develop by accident. The old and new civilisations which we aspire to be like were not built by accident. They were not built by mediocres. They were not built by kleptomaniacs. They were not built by ethnic and religious irredentists. They were built by visionaries who were disciplined. They were built through a conscious and dedicated effort anchored on deep commitment to the welfare and well being of their people and their place in the world. These nations have continued to make progress for the same considerations today.
My country cannot be different. This conference affords Nigeria opportunity for a renaissance. In this second decade of Nigeria’s 2nd century, we can have a new beginning.
But, first we must mobilise a national consensus on a national development philosophy. It is such a philosophy that will underpin our economic policies and development.
We must be clear what we want as a people? What is our national ethos? What are our irreducible national development priorities, irrespective of party or government? What is our place in the world today? And where do we want to be in the future following a clear time line?
It is such a clear development philosophy anchored on the importance of leadership as distinct from political authority that will guide the role and place of both leaders and followers as they evolve in our polity.
It is this philosophy that will help or enable our leaders understand the spiritual burden they bear as leaders and the cosmic responsibility imposed on them to cater to the 167million people created by the almighty God in a country called Nigeria, situated on the west coast of the continent of Africa.
Let us check and see that all through human history, the greatest progress in different countries have been achieved under the guidance of leaders who have a deep sense of personal awareness about their reason for being, a keen sense of foresight and great personal discipline and appreciation of the transient nature of human existence. These leaders endowed as they were understood nature’s law of karma. There are consequences for every action or inaction!
As a boy, I saw the seeds of Boko Haram sown. As I was taken to school every morning between 1976 and 1977 I saw children of all ages in the shades provided by the Neem trees which line most of the streets of Maiduguri. They had adult tutors who supposedly taught them the Koran. As I and my siblings passed by, we were usually fascinated by the almost hypnotic repetition of the verses. On our return journey, they would relocate to the roundabouts with bowls begging for alms. It didn’t matter what time of the day or what season of the year it was, they were usually barely clothe. In the evenings when we would go off to St Patrick’s Cathedral Church for catechism, they were back under the shades to receive their own catechism. We now know what kind of catechism those children received.
Today, we have Boko Haram! There is the scourge of militancy, kidnapping and other forms of security breaches in other parts of the country. But in our fear and indignation, let us step back for a moment. Could all of this been pre-empted.
Let us take it that they do not know better, hence the insurgencies against the state. Does the abdication of parental responsibility which threw those kids out on the streets suggest that those parents knew better or now do so? How have governments and society held those parents accountable? How do we intend to ensure that we pre-empt the emergence of successor generations of insurgents?
Does the absence of a coherent social policy by successive governmentsm suggest they knew better? Does the continuing absence of such policies even now suggest we now know better?
Does the ongoing stealing at every level of our governance system suggest we know better?. Does the increasing allocations to security and the escalating conflict situation suggest that we know better? I leave you to provide the answers.
During the same periods, the big men from those parts of the country returned home at the weekends from their plum jobs in Lagos and subsequently Abuja to feed them. Feed them they did, educate them they did not! The better and more sustainable choice is clear today!
The men and women who sired those kids failed them. The state failed them. I make no excuse for insurgency of any kind by any group in any part of our country. I condemn the destruction of human lives and property in every part of Nigeria and indeed any part of the world. But it is what you sow that you reap.
Even though I have come here on the platform of the organised private sector I have chosen not to dwell on issues of either macro or micro economic policy for the simple reason that these policies however well thought out can only be implemented in an atmosphere of peace and security.
I support a political and economic system which will devolve power to the regions on mutually agreeable terms. This will lead to greater accountability and faster economic development. I support a police system which will receive adequate funding from the federating units to enable them respond faster and better to the realities of our security situation today. I support the entrenchment of a system which will place a higher premium on your citizenship of Nigeria rather than your indigeneship or that of your parents. I spent over 30 years but had to go home to Enugu to become Chief of Staff to a Governor and subsequently Ministerial nominee from Enugu. We must spare our children this burden if we are committed to building a truly united country.
Mr Chairman, let us make hay while a little sunshine remains. The world will not wait for us. In the event of a full scale conflict in Nigeria, the world will be too small to contain us!
In the words of Mohammed Ibn Al Maktoun, the ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates:
“Everyday in Africa, a Gazelle awakens knowing that in order to survive, it must out run the fastest Lion. In the same Savannah, the Lion awakes, stretches and stirs knowing fully well that it must out run the fastest Gazelle or starve. It is the same with the human race. Whether you consider yourself a Gazelle or Lion, you either survive or perish. The outcomes from this conference may be the catalyst that we need. Let us make it happen.
May God help our country.
Frank Nweke II.
The Speech was Culled from Premium Times
In parts of his speech, Nweke said, "As a boy, I saw the seeds of Boko Haram sown"; a statement which has captured several attention.
Read full speech below:
Mr Chairman,
Thank you for the opportunity to offer my perspectives on the President’s speech of March 17, 2014.
I would like to describe that speech as perhaps one of the best of the Jonathan Presidency for its depth and import, its delivery and its potential to impact the course of our history as a nation.
That speech was profound in several respects but its most important element for me was the opportunity that it affords us to confront our problems as a people as captured on page 11.
I quote: “We cannot continue to fold our arms and assume that things will straighten themselves in due course, instead of taking practical steps to overcome impediments on our path to true nationhood, rapid development and national prosperity”
Indeed, Nigeria cannot develop by accident. No nation has and can develop by accident. The old and new civilisations which we aspire to be like were not built by accident. They were not built by mediocres. They were not built by kleptomaniacs. They were not built by ethnic and religious irredentists. They were built by visionaries who were disciplined. They were built through a conscious and dedicated effort anchored on deep commitment to the welfare and well being of their people and their place in the world. These nations have continued to make progress for the same considerations today.
My country cannot be different. This conference affords Nigeria opportunity for a renaissance. In this second decade of Nigeria’s 2nd century, we can have a new beginning.
But, first we must mobilise a national consensus on a national development philosophy. It is such a philosophy that will underpin our economic policies and development.
We must be clear what we want as a people? What is our national ethos? What are our irreducible national development priorities, irrespective of party or government? What is our place in the world today? And where do we want to be in the future following a clear time line?
It is such a clear development philosophy anchored on the importance of leadership as distinct from political authority that will guide the role and place of both leaders and followers as they evolve in our polity.
It is this philosophy that will help or enable our leaders understand the spiritual burden they bear as leaders and the cosmic responsibility imposed on them to cater to the 167million people created by the almighty God in a country called Nigeria, situated on the west coast of the continent of Africa.
Let us check and see that all through human history, the greatest progress in different countries have been achieved under the guidance of leaders who have a deep sense of personal awareness about their reason for being, a keen sense of foresight and great personal discipline and appreciation of the transient nature of human existence. These leaders endowed as they were understood nature’s law of karma. There are consequences for every action or inaction!
As a boy, I saw the seeds of Boko Haram sown. As I was taken to school every morning between 1976 and 1977 I saw children of all ages in the shades provided by the Neem trees which line most of the streets of Maiduguri. They had adult tutors who supposedly taught them the Koran. As I and my siblings passed by, we were usually fascinated by the almost hypnotic repetition of the verses. On our return journey, they would relocate to the roundabouts with bowls begging for alms. It didn’t matter what time of the day or what season of the year it was, they were usually barely clothe. In the evenings when we would go off to St Patrick’s Cathedral Church for catechism, they were back under the shades to receive their own catechism. We now know what kind of catechism those children received.
Today, we have Boko Haram! There is the scourge of militancy, kidnapping and other forms of security breaches in other parts of the country. But in our fear and indignation, let us step back for a moment. Could all of this been pre-empted.
Let us take it that they do not know better, hence the insurgencies against the state. Does the abdication of parental responsibility which threw those kids out on the streets suggest that those parents knew better or now do so? How have governments and society held those parents accountable? How do we intend to ensure that we pre-empt the emergence of successor generations of insurgents?
Does the absence of a coherent social policy by successive governmentsm suggest they knew better? Does the continuing absence of such policies even now suggest we now know better?
Does the ongoing stealing at every level of our governance system suggest we know better?. Does the increasing allocations to security and the escalating conflict situation suggest that we know better? I leave you to provide the answers.
During the same periods, the big men from those parts of the country returned home at the weekends from their plum jobs in Lagos and subsequently Abuja to feed them. Feed them they did, educate them they did not! The better and more sustainable choice is clear today!
The men and women who sired those kids failed them. The state failed them. I make no excuse for insurgency of any kind by any group in any part of our country. I condemn the destruction of human lives and property in every part of Nigeria and indeed any part of the world. But it is what you sow that you reap.
Even though I have come here on the platform of the organised private sector I have chosen not to dwell on issues of either macro or micro economic policy for the simple reason that these policies however well thought out can only be implemented in an atmosphere of peace and security.
I support a political and economic system which will devolve power to the regions on mutually agreeable terms. This will lead to greater accountability and faster economic development. I support a police system which will receive adequate funding from the federating units to enable them respond faster and better to the realities of our security situation today. I support the entrenchment of a system which will place a higher premium on your citizenship of Nigeria rather than your indigeneship or that of your parents. I spent over 30 years but had to go home to Enugu to become Chief of Staff to a Governor and subsequently Ministerial nominee from Enugu. We must spare our children this burden if we are committed to building a truly united country.
Mr Chairman, let us make hay while a little sunshine remains. The world will not wait for us. In the event of a full scale conflict in Nigeria, the world will be too small to contain us!
In the words of Mohammed Ibn Al Maktoun, the ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates:
“Everyday in Africa, a Gazelle awakens knowing that in order to survive, it must out run the fastest Lion. In the same Savannah, the Lion awakes, stretches and stirs knowing fully well that it must out run the fastest Gazelle or starve. It is the same with the human race. Whether you consider yourself a Gazelle or Lion, you either survive or perish. The outcomes from this conference may be the catalyst that we need. Let us make it happen.
May God help our country.
Frank Nweke II.
The Speech was Culled from Premium Times
