By James Ogunnaike, Abeokuta
A former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Martin Luther Agwai (rtd) has described the US President Donald Trump’s “guns-a-blazing” threat over alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, as a wake-up call for the country’s leaders to intensify efforts in the fight against insecurity in country.
Agwai, equally, warned against waiting for external forces to dictate Nigeria’s fate, emphasising that if America comes and dominates Nigeria, it won’t change who Nigerians are, except they are willing to change themselves.
Agwai, who spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the Presidential Youth Mentorship Retreat organised by the Youth Development Centre, an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), noted that peace cannot be legislated and that conflict often serves as an alarm for deeper issues that need to be addressed.
While arguing that Trump’s invasion threats are not coming anytime soon, he said Nigeria should embrace dialogue and self-reflection to overcome its internal security challenge.
He said, “I do not see it (Trump’s military action) happening immediately. In everything, there are intentions, and in every intention, sometimes your reaction also matters.
“For every action, there is almost an equal and opposite reaction, so how we react, how we understand and how we deal with it is the most important thing”.
“I am happy, people are saying this is the wake-up call.. conflict sometimes is a wake-up call for us, so this could be a wake-up call for us, even if America come and dominates Nigeria, would it change what Nigerians are? If Nigerians are not willing to change themselves, they cannot”.
“You can’t legislate peace, you can’t force peace on people, but understanding, justice, equity, discussing with each other, removing the fear that exists and the negative narrative that is all over the place.
“We must sit down and dialogue and discuss with each other, we will find out that most of our problems will be solved”.
“Every country in this world has their own challenges and problems, so Nigeria is not an island and Nigeria is not an exception, so it is time for us now to close ranks, it is time for us now to look at each other as brothers.
“If the bomb begins to land today, it will not separate Yoruba, Muslim, Christian, Hausa, Fulani, minority, the bomb will not. So, we have to find a way of accommodating each other, and honestly, this beautiful country will continue to be what it is and the envy of everybody”
The former CDS said that Trump’s military threat should not be allowed to further divide the country, but rather serve as a catalyst to come together as one nation, engage in frank talks with love, and chart a new dawn, thereby preserving the country’s unity.
In his remarks at the conference, former President Olusegun Obasanjo challenged African youths to see themselves as leaders of today and not leaders of tomorrow, any longer, stressing that the youths must realise that they are no longer leaders of tomorrow, but today and must therefore use positively their large numbers to bring about the much-expected turnaround in Africa.
Obasanjo said, “You are leaders of today because if you leave tomorrow in the hands of leaders who are there today, they will destroy it, you won’t have your tomorrow. You can see that happening almost everywhere.
“Cameroon just had an election. My brother, Paul Biya, is 92. So, what are you going to do with the youths, or are there no youths in Cameroon?
Talking about the Nigerian situation, the former president said that “we have #NotTooYoungToRun and they even made it into law. Those who made it into law are 80 years old and they are still running. When will you have the opportunity to run? Like I said to you, you have to be positively disruptive and I mean that.
“Look, if three people are sitting and two of them start to press the one in the middle, when it becomes uncomfortable for him, it is either he yields the space or allows them to share. You have to be positively disruptive; otherwise, you will have no role to play.”
He further asked the youths to utilise their numbers to secure leadership positions.
“You have the number, but the number will only matter when you use the number to your advantage”.
He emphasised the need for African youths to identify opportunities, stating that identifying opportunities can be an enhanced ladder for the youth’s prosperity.
“If you cannot identify opportunities, you may not know how to use them, so identifying opportunities will be of great benefit to any serious-minded youth”, Obasanjo said.
The Chairperson of the Youth Development Centre, Dr Bisi Kolapo, urged the youths not to entertain any fear or excuses in pursuing their life goals.
Dr Kolapo also urged them to always believe in Nigeria because “Nigeria will be great and rise again.”
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