From Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
A front line rights activist, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin has lamented the increased rate of unlicensed firearms in the country, saying it was stimulating killings by armed bandits.
She said killings and worsened security situations in the country were brought about by uncontrolled firearms in circulation.
Odumakin spoke alongside fellow guest lecturer, Prof Dele Adetoye yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital at the first Comrade Bunmi Ojo Memorial Lecture.
Ojo, former Governor Segun Oni’s Personal Assistant, was shot dead exactly a year ago at a football viewing centre in Adebayo area of Ado-Ekiti by assailants.
Delivering the lecture entitled: “The tragedy of the murder of Comrade Bunmi Ojo: Implications for youth development and national security. Odumakin, who was represented at the event by the General Secretary of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Ifeanyi Odili, also attributed the unwarranted killings in the country to poor policing system.
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According to her, “Another cause of his death is majorly traceable to poor policing in Nigeria because Nigeria is far below the United Nations standard of policing. We find ourselves in this critical security mess in Nigeria.
“Soon after the exit of the military and eventual return to democracy, firearms became a common commodity. People became so free to move around with guns, AK47, AK49, pump action unlicenced.
” This catastrophe that befell Bunmi Ojo will continue to skyrocket in Nigeria until our leaders sit together, speak to each other from their subconscious and inner reassesses of their minds, with a view to outlaw the arbitrary use of guns before, during and after political campaigns. In fact, it is worthwhile to phase it out, outrightly in our polity. In military era, you dare not carry kitchen-knife outside your homes how much more guns flying around the country,” she said.
While identifying intolerance as one of the major obstacles to Nigeria’s nurturing democracy, she said, “Nigerians, particularly political class have demonstrated their inability to tolerate and accommodate one another religiously, politically, socially and economically”.
Professor Adetoye who also spoke on the same topic noted that Nigeria’s distant and recent political and socio-economic history is replete with proactive and productive riles played by the youths in nation building and socio-economic political development of the Nigerian nation which late Ojo represented.
He said today was however different, as Nigerian youths have been described in various derogatory terms, from irresponsible, lazy, criminal, unproductive personalities from whom no good can come.
” Rather than engage in profitable ventures, majority of Nigerian youths deploy their energies and competence to socio-economic vices such as cybercrime, money rituals, armed robbery, rape, drug abuse, political thuggery, cultism, yet political class and policy makers use them as political thugs and election riggers rather than prepare them to take over the leadership of this nation. The youths are not responding to incentives that do not reward hardworking.”
The Professor of Political Science called on the government to work on security apparatus to protect citizenry and also come up with policy action that would improve crime prevention, detection and apprehension.
He said government must also formulate appropriate policies geared at reorientating the youth to become proactive and development friendly.
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Prof. Eddy Olanipekun who was the Chairman organizing committee of the lecture, said the event was put together at the instance of late Ojo’s wife, Adeola, by friends and family of the deceased.
He said Ojo was able to put smiles on the faces of the people while alive.
While calling for the arrest and prosecution of Ojo’s killers, he said all hands must be on deck to make Nigeria safe and secure.
The Chairman of the occasion, Senator Dayo Adeyeye who was represented by the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Prof Kunle Ajayi said testimonies about the exemplary life late Ojo lived abound.
“The memory of the life late Ojo lived is a blessing to us all. We should continue to reminisce on what he did and the marks he made”.
Dignitaries at the event included, Governor Kayode Fayemi who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Hakeem Jamiu, Speaker, Rt Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, represented by Akogun Tai Oguntayo, Former Chairman, Ekiti State Chapter, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Jide Awe, Chairman, Ekiti State House of Assembly Commission, Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, representatives of human right groups among others.