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silas emeka @Codisco

10 ay önce

@iamHSDickson Good one

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Henry Seriake Dickson

@iamHSDickson

10 ay önce

NNAMDI KANU: THE IMPERATIVE OF A POLITICAL SOLUTION I join well-meaning leaders, the people of the South East, and indeed well-meaning Nigerians to call for a political solution that will lead to the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, on terms that will bring about the cessation of violence, the return of normalcy, and full integration for all. This is not just for the people of the South East; I believe that this is a sentiment shared by all well-meaning Nigerians who want a united, peaceful, and just nation for all. All Nigerians must condemn violence, especially the type that has occurred in the South East in recent years, as well as the terrorist activities in the northern part. Our sympathy must be for all victims and the losses they have incurred and continue to suffer even to this day. As a former police officer and a senior lawyer (former Attorney General), I feel personally touched when security officers are attacked and killed. We condemn violence and lawlessness wherever they occur. The Nigerian state and its institutions have reacted in the typical manner every state must respond to a challenge of this kind to its sovereignty. This is the historical reality from Mandela to Boro, and up till date, around the world. The above examples and several others globally also show that reactions by the state, by way of arrest, trial, sentencing, and even conviction and execution of agitators, do not end agitations. The solution usually lies in the initiation of a political process, midwifed by broad-minded leaders who place the national good over personal, political, and regional biases. Legal processes do not address separatist agitations that are political and economic in nature. Historically, arrests, trials, convictions, and sentencing—even executions—do not solve these kinds of agitations. After the legal processes, what must follow is a sincere and holistic political solution that will create public confidence and sustain patriotism by all. The challenge is to create a Nigeria that all can trust and believe in, one they can fight and die for if necessary. This is the lesson from the arrest, trial, and sentencing of Nelson Mandela, who was convicted and jailed for 27 years, and that of Isaac Adaka Boro, who led the first separatist agitation against Nigerian statehood. In all these cases, genuine progress only emerged when broad-minded leaders initiated a political process that placed national interest above personal or political grievances and biases. A more recent example is the peace process initiated by the Yar’Adua/Jonathan administration, during which the government engaged leaders and agitators on resolving the Niger Delta crisis. This led to the establishment of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which has brought relative peace and stability to the region to the benefit of the entire country. This was what General Gowon did, even after Boro and his comrades had been sentenced to death. He accepted the peace process spearheaded by the leaders of the Ijaw and Niger Delta, led by Harold Dappa-Biriye, and granted Boro full pardon. Not only that—he made it possible for them to join the federal forces to strengthen the defence of the Niger Delta areas which they knew better than the federal troops. And Boro and his comrades died fighting for a Nigeria they initially fought against. I call that leadership, vision, and broad-mindedness. Instructively, General Gowon took these decisions at the age of 32 in the midst of an unprecedented national crisis.