2023 Elections: How to vote for security, peace and prosperity (1)— Our Security, Our Peace by Prof. O.E Bassey

Interestingly, it does not require much sermonization to underscore the importance of security, peace and prosperity to Nigerians and in today’s Nigeria.

For quite a long while, this has been the bane of the  country with millions of Nigerians constantly living in fear, uncertainty and penury that such have been normalized by a majority with a distant and hiccuping hope of a ‘Messiah’ to rescue the country from the pains it has become.

The election, is that time, where hope hits its crescendo and Nigerians are availed a once-in-four-years opportunity to take their fate in their hands, and pre-determine what the next four years will and should be for them.

By now, the expectation is that a whole lot of eligible Nigerians have their PVCs collected to elect the next captain to lead the country’s ship into the harbor of security, peace and prosperity, most keenly. And if you are yet to get yours, in cognizance of INEC’s generosity in extending the deadline for collection to February 15, it is important that those cards you registered for, you go collect them and utilize them as part of your civic indebtedness to the country, especially in this peculiar time where all hands are needed on deck.

There have been for far too long an absence of peace, security and prosperity on a wide scale; consequently, making the country insufferable, and the last thing to endure is such experience that has led to an increasing exodus of Nigerians to foreign lands in search of prosperity in a peaceful environment sponsored by a solid security system.

Leadership is integral in replicating such system in the country, but the right leaders to implement such reality need first, our discernment, second our loyalty, then ultimately, our action to deliver them to the grid to get the country heading in the right direction.

From the presidential, to the Senate, to the House of Reps, to the State government, to the Local government, leaders who would lead the country out of its ignominious pit must be scrutinized for their right placement to make an informed and deliberate choice.

The best way to discern the right leaders with the right profiling to creating an atmosphere of peace, security and prosperity is to understand which leaders not to vote for.

A leader who has had an impeccable annals of violence will most likely not replicate what he does not have when they get into office. A leader who is foul and injurious with their words is apparently no peacemaker. A leader who is ethnic-bigoted will most likely be biased with their rule and marginalize others to the detriment of spreading prosperity abroad. A leader who has no sense of courtesy for the rule of law will most likely abuse power to favour the few and disfavour the majority.

It’s no rocket science to discern who is not right for the long-standing and starved ambitions of the country. The wrong ones have it daunting distinguishing themselves from the right ones. Cracks, scars, stories, wounds, history always follow them like a tail, and insofar they cannot extricate the tail from themselves, they will always be in the glare to be separated from the right ones.

Exodus 18:21; “But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain —and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.”

Professor Ofonime Emmanuel Bassey is a Security, Peace and Conflict Resolution coach with decades of experience in the practice and promotion of Law Enforcement, Peace and Security through the Nigeria Police and the United Nations.

He is a professor in Leadership, Peace and Conflict Resolution, a certified United Nation’s Trainer, and currently the Director of ICOF Institute of Leadership, Peace and Conflict Resolution in Africa.

Prof. Bassey has served and interacted at the top-level management of the Nigeria Police as well as internationally as a United Nation’s Monitor/Mentor in Kosovo, Europe.

With his marks well-established in Peace Leadership both in Nigeria and Africa, he is currently the President, NISSI Safety Management Institute: An Institute of Peace Leadership.

To his many humanitarian acts, he currently spearheads a campaign tagged “The Next Peace Leaders” billed to run from 2022-2023 with a target of training 37,000 young peace leaders.

For peace and security tips, consultations and trainings, reach him via:

Facebook: Dr. O.E Bassey

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WhatsApp: +2347065828892

Mail: EmmanuelBassey@gmail.com