January 28, (THEWILL) – President/Founder of the Foundation For Peace and Non-Violence (FOFPEN), in Nigeria, Mr Onengiya Erekosima, has advised the federal government to adopt a non-violence approach to tackling insecurity in the country.
Erekosima who was the brain behind Amnesty Programme in the Niger Delta region said that, if the Non-Violence approach could successfully end militancy in the Niger Delta, such steps could as well end insecurity in the country, adding that, it is much easier to stop insecurity in the Northern part of the country than in Niger Delta.
Warning that there is an urgent need to stop the wave of Insecurity in the country, he informed that, the way things are going, Nigeria might be tilting towards a guerilla warfare situation.
He, therefore, called on President Tinubu to give a listening ear to his non-violence approach which is also his brainchild.
Erekosima made the plea while speaking at the 15th anniversary of the Foundation held Saturday, January 27, 2024, at Silverbird Gallery in Abuja, with the theme: “Remaking Nigeria Through Non-Violence”.
According to him, over the years, there has not been a political Will to end Insecurity on the part of the government and that is the reason insecurity has continued unabated.
Explaining further, he said “There is no political will to tackle Insecurity in Nigeria. That is my fear. In the days of Niger Delta, I went to President Tinubu, then, he was not President at that time. And he assisted me in helping Asari Dokubo. I went to him again, he assisted me to help Ateke Tom and others. Today, he is Mr president and I have written several letters to him. I have been trying to reach him, and I have not received any answer.
The Foundation President also observed that the greatest evil we have in the government as of today is the security vote, which they don’t want to let go.
He, however, maintained that it is better if there is no security vote, and citizens sleep with their two eyes closed and happier.
“I am asking Mr President that he has nothing to lose by listening to the voice of non-violence”, Erekosima said.
On the Amnesty programme going on in Niger Delta, he said that the programme has exhausted its usefulness lamenting why the government should be paying 65,000 persons for doing nothing.
“The amnesty programme has done what it should do to an extent because I initiated the programme but I was pushed aside in the process of the implementation of the programme. The implementation of the amnesty programme was not the idea of the programme. However, it has ended militancy in the Niger Delta region. I am grateful to the late former President Umar Musa Yar’ Adua who granted the amnesty. I am saying that militancy cannot return to the Niger Delta.”
Comparing the Niger Delta and the Insecurity situation in some parts of Northern Nigeria, Erekosima affirmed that, “It is ten times easier to solve the problem in the North than that of Niger Delta.
Disclosing reasons why the Insecurity is more difficult to handle in the South than North, he said “Let me tell you why. In the Niger Delta, they know themselves and they are brothers and friends and they live together. In the north right now, we are just calling them names that we don’t understand. They have no enemy they are fighting.”
He listed oppression, poverty, lack of education and lack of knowing what to do as reasons why insecurity has continued to exist, adding that “Poverty is what is making them fight in the North. And because we call it all sorts of names, it is being hijacked. People have hijacked it and made gains from it. I know all these stories. The Northern people that I know with their unique nature of orderliness, will listen when you tell them that this issue is destroying us. It took me stress to reconcile people in the Niger Delta. Tell me, is there any group fighting in the North? Tell me one. It is not about religion or anything. It is just that they don’t have the exposure that we have”
“Somebody has always been a farmer, and all of a sudden, they now see him driving vehicles, maybe because he is now a counsellor or Chairman. They now look at him and ask themselves how they could make their own money as well. This is exactly what led us to where we are. So we will give them jobs and talk to them and it will be easier to bring them together”.
Meanwhile, FOFPEN used the occasion of her 15-anniversary to honour some eminent Nigerians who have shown excellence in different areas of endeavours.
Some of the awardees who got the prestigious Peace and Non-Violent Awards include the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his wife, the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who got a posthumous award and Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua.
Also, DG Nigerian Institute of Animal Science, Prof Eustace Iyayi (Rtd), AIG, Barr Felix Onowo Ogbaudu, Rtd AIG Hassan Karma, Chief (Barr), Samuel Nwosu, ace journalist, Mohammed Bello, owner of Human Rights Radio (Berekete), Dr Ahmad Isah, Alabo Nengi James, Chief Samuel Tuta Pukat, Claire Adelabu Abdulrazak, Austin Adiele Opara, were honoured at the event.
Others are: Amb Kingsley Amafibe, Comrade Dogo Shagari Ejeke, Soni Daniel, Anayochukwu Agbo, Omoaefe Ejere etc.
The high point of the occasion was the cutting of the 15th-anniversary cake to the admiration of the guests.
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
