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Our Security, Our Peace by Dr. O.E Bassey
“The end does not justify the means herein, hence the need for we pay to heed to process in the build-up of electing new leaders because the fact remains that a crooked process will always produce crooked result. So if we are to get it on all fronts, then we must rid ourselves of extraneous elements that could becloud our choices or that of others. We must learn to remain sane irrespective of how invested we are in our choices. We must understand that society is above all, and nothing — not even an election — should make us lose this part of us.”
The point of an election still remains irrefutably fairness and freedom that stoke peace and unity; and as contrary to what many believe is the election, that is, the poll, the real election is what happens pre and post election.
Upon this has been the emphatic and illuminary exposition on the essence of adopting Non-Violence Communication in our speeches be it written or oral this rare season.
From being able to avoid judgement, to being able to identify your feeling, then taking responsibility for them while asserting your need to ultimately expressing your request in a polite manner. Following these steps as elaboratively explained in the last four weeks will go a long time way in seeing that we produce one of the best elections in the annals of the country.
We must learn that as much as we are divided on political choices that does not make the other person bad or good. We must learn that political choices, as peculiaristic as they are, should not put paid to our shared community and humanity with one another.
After all, of what good is it if after we pursue our individual interests with viles and vices, we then end up with a disunited country to govern as a result of the sensitive toes stepped on prior to the emergence of a new government.
The end does not justify the means herein, hence the need for we pay to heed to process in the build-up of electing new leaders because the fact remains that a crooked process will always produce crooked result. So if we are to get it on all fronts, then we must rid ourselves of extraneous elements that could becloud our choices or that of others. We must learn to remain sane irrespective of how invested we are in our choices. We must understand that society is above all, and nothing — not even an election — should make us lose this part of us.
Another notion we must rid ourselves of going into the election is that of the violent-stoking statement of the election being a do-or-die affair. Yes! We understand that we are at a very dire state in the nation presently. We know we need a radical change in leadership different from what we have ever had to lift our people beyond the misery we wriggle in. The need for a clean overhaul of the system is non-negotiable, but to say it is a do-or-die affair is totally wrong.
As a matter-of-fact, going into an election with such mindset is bound to give you a reversive result to that which you want all on the basis that you are not operating from a sane perspective but rather operating from a desperate perspective, as such, the chances of making the wrong choices and not checking all your boxes are existent. You tend to make hasty decisions, and become close-minded because ‘by force, by force’ your candidate must emerge.
No election is a do-or-die affair because if it goes your way, that’s fine, but if it does not go your way, resorting to violence as connotatively resounded by such undemocratic statement, will never lead to change and even most likely to lead you to your death where you would be unable make the change you seek forever.
Proverbs 3:31: Do not envy a man of violence
And do not choose any of his ways
Dr. 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 an advocate of Peace Leadership and Child Protection.
He 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.
A professor of Peace Advocacy and Conflict Resolution, Dr. O.E Bassey is a certified United Nation’s Trainer, and currently the Director of ICOF Institute of Leadership, Peace and Conflict Resolution in Africa.
With his marks well-established in Peace Leadership both in Nigeria and Africa. Currently, he is the President, NISSI Safety Management Institute: An Institute of Peace Leadership.
Presently, he is spearheading a campaign tagged “The Next Peace Leaders”, a campaign that is 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
LinkedIn: Dr. O.E Bassey
Twitter: Dr. O.E Bassey
WhatsApp: +2347065828892
Mail: EmmanuelBassey@gmail.com
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