Before National Healing, Let’s Face the Truth (II) – Our Security, Our Peace by Prof. O.E Bassey

The nation still hurts, and just like injuries left unattended to, the victim finds a way to either hide or numb it when the clinical and closure treatment sought after becomes far-fetched. Again, we seem to be trotting down this same path history had repeatedly beared witness to, and we sure know, like a circle, we are bound to find ourselves back where we started.

For over 63 years, the journey has been the same, giving off paranoia if we are not of the same ilk as the man who keeps doing the same thing the same way over and over, but in his head expects different outcomes. We should be wiser than that, you reckon, but sadly we have refused to learn.

Sequel to the part one of this series, the offshoots of the 2023 elections should not be papered over like some other events that have exposed to us the cracks within our walls, and how we keep inching towards a colossal disaster if we keep looking the other way, and plunge forward for the seemingly innocent sake of ‘national interest’.

It’s about time we collectively agree to face the brutal truths about ourselves: first, as a people, and then as nation, by and large. Everywhere you turn to, traces of how divided we are – politically, religiously and ethnically – are existential, and for years, we have pretended, pathetically, as though ‘all is well’. We find tenuous peace and shadowy stability living in such volatile atmosphere, little wonder every time we take two steps forward, we inevitably take 10 backwards. In other words, a house where the centre does not hold experience no progress.

This time around, we don’t have to sing same song, or beat same drums; we can do things differently for the sake of posterity. And truth be told, making a different sound starts from the platform of truth – acceptance and the expression of it. We must accept we need to change for we to change. We must admit all our shortcomings of the past, to start on a fresh slate. We must operate in transparency, fairness and equity; for without them, a culture of national truth is fictitious.

To this end, there is a gnawing need for the government to deliberately to set up an agency, independent and saddled with the responsibility of Truth, Healing and Transformation. This agency will oversee and mediate in conflicts peculiar to the divides of the country, while seeking to bring healing and transformation to affected parties and individuals for the sake of national peace and unity. The country has been awash with all sorts of religious, ethnic and political conflicts that have been left to fester, and consequently regenerate into a hydra-headed monster that becomes a nightmare for all and sundry in the country. Proactive and preemptive measures, if being put in place, would stem all this while in their nursery, and ensure that no embers get fueled to become an outsized fire that cannot be put out.

I submit it is high time we created an atmosphere where people are predisposed to truths – acceptance and expression – so that they are helped in their biases and prejudices to see how we need everyone, regardless of backgrounds and nuances, for the collective growth of the country. If these measures had been put in place way before the 2023 elections, the odds are high that the contentions and dissensions we had in respect to tribes, religion and political views would have been few and far between to the promotion of a peaceful, fair and credible election in the country. It would have also helped in seeing that a resolution of the disputes arisen from the 2023 governorship and presidential elections have a platform where the brutal truths about what went down during the election are brought to bare, parsed and passed on to the judiciary for legal adjudication to ensure fairness and justice served for national healing that births national transformation.

While idealistic and resourceful the concept of such agency is, to see it grinding out optimum results is conditioned on the status it gets in the thick of things in the country. In other words, it must be tied to the central organs in the country, to see that deliberations and resolutions out of it are heard and implemented upon. This is the only way to distinct the agency from the mere talk shows and commonplace conferences out there, making it what it truly is: National Truths, Healing and Transformation. It is one peculiar and inventive agency the country direly needs, and a perpetual lack of it will keep us recycling ‘wounded’ individuals.

Job 17:9 The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger.

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

LinkedIn: Dr. O.E Bassey

Twitter: Dr. O.E Bassey

WhatsApp: +2347065828892

Mail: EmmanuelBassey@gmail.com