AFCON 2023: Looking into our reward system – Our Security, Our Peace By Prof. O.E Bassey

On Tuesday, our heroes from the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) returned home after a silver-winning campaign that, off a long while, placed Nigeria highly in the map of football on the continent.

These heroes went against the rest of Africa to defend the country’s flag and pride for 30 days, and indeed performed well, as such, were meritorious of being celebrated and rewarded for their sacrifice to the nation.

President Bola Tinubu hosted them at the Aso Rock where he rewarded them with houses, plots of lands and national honours in acknowledgement and appreciation for their medal-winning efforts that brought joy, unity and pride to the country yet again.

While it is important that athletes who have gone ahead to defend the country’s colours at international events be celebrated and rewarded, it is also important we don’t forget some of our unsung heroes who daily lay down their lives for the country, and contribute to its sanity, peace and progress.

It is not uncommon to find civil servants who have committed decades of service to the nation retire only to nothing, and consequently going on to live the rest of their lives in misery and penury.  Soldiers, police officers and other military personnel have not also been treated fairly in this regard with barely zero recognition and reward for their years of selfless efforts in ensuring the security of their fellow citizens and the territorial sovereignty of the country. Some others have even passed away while in the line of duty to the nation, and their family gets to be forgotten by the government with no recourse for compensation over the national sacrifices that led to the death of their loved one.

While we are quick – and rightfully so – to always reward athletes, we must make it a duty to accord such to our heroes in all sectors, not only sports. From education, to agriculture, economy, media, down to security, there are heroes scattered across these sectors who daily show up to contribute significantly to the daily sanity, peace and progress of the country. While in active service and in acknowledgement of some of their special efforts, rewards can come in to appreciate them, and at the same time inspire others to toe their paths, knowing full well that the country sees their efforts and will reward them in equal measure. Upon retirement too, their rewards should not be held back, as their gratuities and pensions must be given high priority for the labour of our heroes must not be in vain.

So, this is a call to the government to review the reward system and bring equity and fairness across board to ensure all who deserve rewards get their rewards, as this goes on to ensure we don’t harbour disgruntled individuals, a demotivated workforce and an unwilling armed force that could be detrimental to the peace, progress and security that makes for a sane country.

Proverbs 11:18: The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.

Meanwhile, I am delighted to inform you that come October, 1, 2024, we at NISSI Safety Management Institute: An Institute famous for Peace Leadership will be celebrating our 20th Anniversary.

To this end is our campaign to expand the knowledge of peace leadership to both the old as young, women and children in various places from corporate organisations, to political organizations, worship centers, educational institutions, markets and communities.

It is in our belief that the more educated the people are in respect to peace leadership, the more peaceful our country will become.

So this is a call-to-action, to hop on our Peace campaign train, to arm yourself, your friends, your colleagues, your employees, your congregation with contemporary peace leadership knowledge that makes for a happier and more fulfilled life, personally and collectively.

Kindly call or send a message on Whatsapp to +2347065828892, to be a beneficiary of this.

Prof. Ofonime Emmanuel Bassey is a Leadership, 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 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 with Charismatic International University, Cameroon www.charismaticuniversity.org and professor  of Leadership, Peace and Conflict Resolution, ICOF Global University, USA /Zambia. www.icofglobal.net

Ofonime is a certified United Nation’s Trainer. With his marks well-established in Peace Leadership both in Nigeria and Africa. He is the President, NISSI Safety Management Institute: An Institute famous for Peace Leadership Mastery.

Presently, he is spearheading a campaign tagged “The Next Peace Leaders”, a campaign that is billed to run from 2022-2030 with a target of training 37,000 young peace leaders.

For leadership, conflict, peace and security consultations and trainings, reach him via:

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WhatsApp: +2347065828892

Mail: emmanuelbassey@gmail.com

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