6th October, 2019
Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has urged government at all levels to devise a national security system to tackle insecurity in the land.
Fayemi, who spoke as guest speaker at the 93rd anniversary lecture of the Yoruba Tennis Club annual lecture series titled “Perspectives on Security Challenges in Nigeria from 1999 to 2019; The Way Forward”, at the Club House in Lagos at the weekend, stated that all hands must be on deck by devising a national security system that could work for all not minding the sordid state the security situations had degenerated into.
According to the governor, “to check the spate of insecurity across the country, we must all be ready to devise a central security system that would work for all. Government at all levels must tackle fueling factors such as poverty, high circulation of drugs and small arms, climate change, youth delinquency among others.”
Fayemi stated that the dysfunctions in the nation’s federalism also played a big role in destabilising the nation’s security architecture, hence the need for an elite consensus, a quick decentralisation of the security systems and a strong political will to act on the various challenges of National Security.
He also sought the need to look for another means of dealing with the insurgency like Boko- Haram as well as put a stop to proliferation of arms and ammunition and indiscriminate use of drugs among the youths.
Fayemi also sought for the cooperation of inter agencies and guard against dysfunctional federalism affecting security architecture.
“Let all of us reorder our priority as far as issue of corruption is concerned. Regional development needs to take centre stage. We need to resuscitate the value of youths,” he added.
Chairman, Yoruba Tennis Club, Olawunmi Agbaje, said security required special attention and that all hands must be on deck, including civil societies.
Agbaje recalled that the Club, a social sports and private members club, was founded on 15th September, 1926, with a view for Nigerians regardless of origin, to play tennis and socialise.
He said the annual lecture had promoted among others, discourse on contemporary national issues, with a view of engendering peace and harmonious relationship in the polity.
The 93rd edition of the Yoruba Tennis Club annual lecture had in attendance men and officers of the various security agencies, academics, civil societies, religious bodies and the private sector.