BY ADA
DIKE
There is no better time
to proffer solutions to the insecurity hindering peace in African continent
than now. It is on this note that a man who has immense passion for human
development and nation building, Tunde Eso, wrote a book, ‘African Security
Solution’.
Newswatch Times gathered
that the book offers solutions
in pragmatic approach to everyday social, economic, political and developmental
issues plaguing Africa. “These same issues and inequalities are the very
foundation causing insecurity in the continent. The book is a good
compendium for Africans and the rest of the world to ensure peace, unity and
progress in the world,” he said.
He explains his motivate for writing the book: “Firstly,
about eight years ago, I returned to the university to complete my courses
after my due years of graduation and I had just two courses to complete which
makes me get busy with writing articles to solves problems of both national and
international issues. I was reading through the newspapers one of those days when
I came across former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s African Youth Essay Completion
on African human security, a youthful perception which I participated in and in
which I later discovered that my essay could be converted to a book. Having
that in mind I joined The Guardian newspapers a year after in the Advertorial
department, then took the essay to Saturday desk editor, Felix Abugu, for
editing who later encouraged me to join in reporting for his desk if I could
write that much. He directed me to the political editor of the desk to help
edit my book but because the person he asked me to meet was too busy, he
couldn’t edit the book and I later joined the desk. Two years after, I met with
Pa Bayode Ogunmupe, who edited the book and pointed out just two errors and
encouraged me to publish the book but I couldn’t do that until few months after,”
the prolific writer said.
He went further
to say that, “Another reason why I wrote the book was, I woke in the morning on
a fateful day, I was so ill that I couldn’t drive my car and I had to walk down
to the bus stop to buy pineapple fruit. While I was with the seller, I started
vomiting so she encouraged me to go behind the shop and buy a malt drink to get
little energy, so I did. While with the elderly woman that sold the drink in
her shop, about 20 hoodlums entered with cutlasses and gun at Jakande Estate
Isolo in Lagos state and began to beat me. They used their cutlasses on me. It was
only God that saved my life. They took about N20, 000 from my pocket. I later
found out that there was a fracas a day before that day on who will manage the
motor garage. After the horrible incident I thought if I don’t act fast, the
next person they will descend on might lose his or her life. Then I decided to
publish the book I have kept for so long, apart from the fact that innocent
people are being killed in Africa on dally basis and I am not too comfortable
in my heart as a youth coordinator,” he explained.
He attempted
the writing the book three times in four years. “My first attempt was between
10 days, second attempt was three weeks and third attempt was between two weeks
before the publication.”
Eso suggested how the problem of insecurity in Africa can be solved by
saying:
“I have proposed
e-policing, the involvement of community leaders, youth coordinators, and youth
empowerment by situating youth centre all over the continent where the youth
can lodge complain and get skill acquisition that will engage them and put them
off animalistic tendencies.
“Fix electricity
in Africa then you have employed 75 percent of the youth in the continent,
because they will yield for massive industrialization and the youth will be
totally engaged. Security problems will be reduced and we will be sure of
economic growth in Africa.
“Insecurity is
one of the major problems of political instability because it will amount to
political holders to be flippant in their attitude towards the growth of the
nations in the continent. Take for instance, the internal crisis in
various African countries, In Somalia, Sudan, Congo and Central Africa Republic
whose growth and development has been stagnated for so long because of uproar.
Youths are most engaged in any animalistic acts or cause that they are not being
empowered economically and no skill acquisition. Seminars and involvement of
youth in policy making is very minimal.
“The
task of rebuilding Africa are in the hands of both the government and the
governed, which constitute the civil society. Since security is paramount to
the existence of any country, the government which is the body saddled with the
administration of the state will play the major role in ensuring the security
of the youth in all ramifications. Be it physical, social, economical,
educational and career.
“In
achieving these, the leaders should ensure good governance by drawing-up and
implementing policies which are pertinent to the protection and well being of
the youth. The government should build state capacity to maintain law and
order, by equipping the police and other law enforcement agencies. They should
also strengthen mechanisms for conflict prevention, management and resolution.
African leaders should also show more commitment to the promotion and protection
of right of the youth, as stipulated in their various constitutions. There
should be avenue for the youth to seek redress in the law courts, when their
rights are abused.
“More
so, the government should introduce youth integration initiatives, by promoting
the role of the youth in socio-political and economic policy-making processes,
in order to give them a say and better still, a sense of belonging in shaping
their future. African government should endeavour to empower the youth, through
the provision of educational, economical, social and political opportunities
for the youth, in order to secure their careers and aspiration in life.
“Conversely,
the youth whose security is being endangered, have a part to play in addressing
youth security. There is need for African youth to be politically conscious, by
participating in political activities which shape their status in the society.
They should involve in elections, by electing visionary leaders who have their
interest at heart. Furthermore, the youth should take their destiny in their
hands by assisting the state law enforcement institutions to address issues
relating to security.
“Together
we can reshape Africa, our fatherland, to a continent of our dream. Just like
one of the slogans for campaign against Acquired Immune deficiency syndrome
(AIDS) states, ‘it begins with you!’”
The Ilesa, Osun State born
author and the
publisher of Jubel Magazine and Findout Newspaper was an active writer for six
years with The Guardian Newspapers, where he left for News of The World
Newspaper as the General Manager. He has published over 50 articles in
newspapers on both national and international issues and edited a number of
magazines, books and newspapers in Nigeria.
Eso joined the
Newswatch Times in 2015 as the Society Editor. He belongs to some professional
bodies in Nigeria. He is a Senior member of Institute of Public Diplomacy and
Management; Member, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations; National Secretary,
Nigerian Sovereign Youth Congress; National Youth Leader, Nigeria Youth Forum
and South West; and Youth Leader of Coalition for Democratic Nigeria.
He has been a motivational speaker for over a
decade and also organizes free seminars to inspire the young ones in schools
for nation-building, vision discovery and career development with free
distribution of the Nigerian flag, with the tag name, School-to-School career
talk, across Africa.
Eso had
his education in Nigeria and Ghana. He obtained his First School Leaving
Certificate at Local Government Authority Primary School, Imo Ilesa, between
1984 -1990. He had a brief stint at Saint Lawrence Grammar School, Imo
Ilesa, before moving to Sango Ota High School, Ota, Ogun State, where he
obtained his secondary school certificate in 1996.
Thereafter, he proceeded to Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, where he
obtained a National Diploma Certificate in Accountancy in 2005. In 2009, he obtained
a Certificate in Public Management from the Institute of Public Management,
Nigeria, a Certificate in Public Relations from the Nigerian Institute of Public
Relations (NIPR) in 2010 and Certificate in Public Diplomacy and Management
from the Institute of Public Diplomacy and Management 2013.
He went
to the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana for his Bachelor of Science
degree in Political Science and obtained a Master's degree in International
Relations at the same institution in 2013.
Eso is a political
scientist, diplomat, public relations and public management expert, media and
marketing consultant, youth leader and mobiliser. He is also an administrator,
entrepreneur and a motivational speaker with a global vision
No comments:
Post a Comment