The issue of global insecurity has become a recurring decimal; resurfacing almost everyday, everywhere, attracting different reactions from various categories of the people in all parts of the world.
Bomb blast, missile or bomb testing, assassination, armed robbery, ethno-religious riots, kidnapping, coup de tat among others are typical news heard around the globe today, showing the level of threat and insecurity in the world, thereby making the world an endangered place.
In September two thousand, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted an eight point declaration referred to as United Nations Millennium Declaration. It encompasses peace, security and disarmament, development and poverty eradication, protecting the environment, human rights, democracy and good governance.
Under the Peace, Security and Disarmament Declaration, the United Nations disclosed that effort would not be spared to free people from the scourge of war, whether within or between states, which has claimed more than five million lives in the past decade.
Today, it is so difficult to identify a nation that is free from insecurity or conflict, most especially in the African and Asian Continents.
The lingering Niger Delta crisis is a big challenge to the Nigerian government to address, Darfur crisis in Sudan, America’s invasion of Iraq, the Taliban and Al Qaeda issue in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Israel-Palestine dispute, Russia’s attack on Georgia, political crisis in Kenya, Niger Republic, Zimbabwe, Guinea Bissau and Xenophobic attack in South Africa are just a few to mention, showing the level of violence and unrest across the world.
Speaking at a Symposium organized by the National Assessment Synthesis Team for the United States Global Research Programme, Professor Anderson George of Cambridge University debunked the notion that the United States is succeeding in addressing the problem of global insecurity.
The Professor explained that the futility of US-Mission in different countries now could be inferred from the alarming rate of emergence of new terrorism.
Therefore it there is any disturbing fear about terrorism it is that rarely do military forces defeat or obliterate it.
To strengthen campaign on the need for peace from local to international level, the United Nations dedicates every twenty-first of September as International Day of Peace or the World Peace Day. The day which was first celebrated in nineteen eighty-one, is meant to be a day of non-violence and cease-fire.
Hence, the day will remain fruitless unless the world body, United Nations, regional bodies like African Union (AU), ECOWAS, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Arab League and European Union as well as other international organizations like the Red Cross truly work towards promoting peace and security, by stressing the need for all countries of the world and international organizations to foster friendship, peace, justice among nations as well as fighting poverty at all levels.
Former United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, once said “if war is failure of diplomacy, then diplomacy both bilateral and multilateral, is our first line of difference. The world today spends billions preparing for war, shouldn’t we spend a billion or two preparing for peace?”.
No doubt, without peace, there would not be friendly relationship and without friendly relationship, there would not be development and without development, the whole world would not be conducive for all to live in.
It is very imperative for the United Nations to be truly effective without fair or favour in maintaining peace and security by providing resources and tools for conflict re-building and reconstruction to ensure peaceful co-existence of the whole world.
Community leaders, traditional rulers and government at all levels should strive towards ensuring peaceful co-existence in their respective societies.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
IMBIBLE THE LESSONS OF RAMADHAN
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you may become pious. Fasting for a fixed number of days, but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number should be made up from other days. And as for those who can fast with difficulty, they have choice to either fast or to feed a poor person everyday. But whoever does good of his record, it is better for him.
And that you fast, is better for you only if you know.
The above quotation as contained in chapter two verses one hundred and eighty-three to one hundred and eighty-four of the holy Qur’an is the commandment of Allah, the Exalted, on all Muslim faithful but with few exception.
For about a month, Muslim faithful across the globe have being fasting in line with Allah’s commandment to reap Allah’s maximum reward through their total submission to the will of the Almighty.
Indeed, apart from spiritual benefit, it has been established that other benefits derivable from fasting include, medical or health benefit, social and psychological benefits.
During this period of spiritual rejuvenation, Muslims move closer to Allah by reading from the glorious Qur’an day and night, cultivate good manners, eating and drinking with members of the family and share other things among friends, relatives and other members of the society, thereby promoting peace, love and enhance unity within and beyond each family.
It is also important to note that fasting is a period of learning self-restraint and patience. And with patience, Muslims are able to strengthen their resolve to worship Allah alone, with sincerity and also to cope with other world activities without much ado.
Apart from abstaining from eating and drinking during this period, Muslims also restrain their souls from greed and stinginess, telling lies, adultery, fornication, backbiting, impatience and hypocrisy, and instead seeking Allah’s blessings, forgiveness, mercies, reading Qur’an and making supplications day and night in order to seek Allah’s maximum reward.
However, if all the virtues and lessons accrued during this month are imbibed, no doubt, there would be peace of mind, love, unity, harmony and cohesion needed in the society.
If Ramadan lessons are properly imbibed, it would go a long was in helping the nation to achieve the desired development as every individual would be providing selfless but purposeful services to the nation.
We must therefore resolve to sustain the present good deeds like recitation from the Glorious Qur’an, prayers day and night as well as restraining from don’ts of the Almighty Allah, the Most High.
All wealth individuals should sustain giving alms to the poor and needy to better their lots as poor do not live during Ramadan alone while everyone must work towards promoting love, unity and peace within our various families and the society at large.
Above all, let the fear of God continue.
And that you fast, is better for you only if you know.
The above quotation as contained in chapter two verses one hundred and eighty-three to one hundred and eighty-four of the holy Qur’an is the commandment of Allah, the Exalted, on all Muslim faithful but with few exception.
For about a month, Muslim faithful across the globe have being fasting in line with Allah’s commandment to reap Allah’s maximum reward through their total submission to the will of the Almighty.
Indeed, apart from spiritual benefit, it has been established that other benefits derivable from fasting include, medical or health benefit, social and psychological benefits.
During this period of spiritual rejuvenation, Muslims move closer to Allah by reading from the glorious Qur’an day and night, cultivate good manners, eating and drinking with members of the family and share other things among friends, relatives and other members of the society, thereby promoting peace, love and enhance unity within and beyond each family.
It is also important to note that fasting is a period of learning self-restraint and patience. And with patience, Muslims are able to strengthen their resolve to worship Allah alone, with sincerity and also to cope with other world activities without much ado.
Apart from abstaining from eating and drinking during this period, Muslims also restrain their souls from greed and stinginess, telling lies, adultery, fornication, backbiting, impatience and hypocrisy, and instead seeking Allah’s blessings, forgiveness, mercies, reading Qur’an and making supplications day and night in order to seek Allah’s maximum reward.
However, if all the virtues and lessons accrued during this month are imbibed, no doubt, there would be peace of mind, love, unity, harmony and cohesion needed in the society.
If Ramadan lessons are properly imbibed, it would go a long was in helping the nation to achieve the desired development as every individual would be providing selfless but purposeful services to the nation.
We must therefore resolve to sustain the present good deeds like recitation from the Glorious Qur’an, prayers day and night as well as restraining from don’ts of the Almighty Allah, the Most High.
All wealth individuals should sustain giving alms to the poor and needy to better their lots as poor do not live during Ramadan alone while everyone must work towards promoting love, unity and peace within our various families and the society at large.
Above all, let the fear of God continue.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
TACKLING THE MENACE OF CHOLERA IN NIGERIA
For a very long time, Nigeria has been bedeviled with series of communicable and non communicable diseases which have claimed several lives.
It is on record that on many occasions, diseases like polio, yellow fever, dengue fever, river blindness among others do erupt across the country, taking away great potential leaders.
In fact, it is hardly difficult for two months or so to pass in Nigeria without the outbreak of any disease across the length and breadth of the country.
Presently, there is outbreak of Cholera in about eleven states, which had claimed over five hundred lives. The disease is caused by a bacteria called Vibro Cholera which can be acquired by food or water contaminated by fecal material.
Today, Cholera is ravaging States like Osun, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Gombe, Taraba, Jigawa, Adamawa, Yobe and the Federal Capital Territory, making other States susceptible to the dreadful disease.
Confirming the ugly development, the Chief Epidemiologist in the Federal Ministry of Health, Doctor Henry Akpan said about six thousand suspected cases had been reported, while there were other reports in the media which said the victims are more than that.
Available records show that Bauchi State had two thousand, four hundred and seventeen cases and about one hundred deaths, while one hundred and twenty and sixty five deaths had been recorded in Borno and Katsina States respectively.
Medical Experts have however attributed the outbreak to lack of access to safe water and good sanitary environment, which, in fact, makes all States of the Federation susceptible to the outbreak of the disease.
The fact that the case has not been reported in some parts of the country doesn’t insulate such states from the disease.
Hence, government at all levels must therefore ensure proper supply of potable water and proper maintenance of public utilities, particularly toilets and boreholes with a view to guaranteeing sound environment and hygienic for all and sundries.
Attitudinal change also needs to be advocated among Nigerians on making their environment tidy at all times as well as ensuring that water, fruits and foods are safe before taking them.
Epidemiologists and sanitary inspectors must be employed and supported in all the seven hundred and seventy- four local government areas of the country, to increase surveillance, treatment and enlightenment campaign across the country.
Conclusively, it is necessary for the president to be proactive and develop long term mechanism that will put an end to this scourge of epidemic while comprehensive probe should also be made into how the money budgeted and released by governments and development partners like UNICEF,WHO,MDGS and the World bank on water supply are expended in the last ten years.
It is on record that on many occasions, diseases like polio, yellow fever, dengue fever, river blindness among others do erupt across the country, taking away great potential leaders.
In fact, it is hardly difficult for two months or so to pass in Nigeria without the outbreak of any disease across the length and breadth of the country.
Presently, there is outbreak of Cholera in about eleven states, which had claimed over five hundred lives. The disease is caused by a bacteria called Vibro Cholera which can be acquired by food or water contaminated by fecal material.
Today, Cholera is ravaging States like Osun, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Gombe, Taraba, Jigawa, Adamawa, Yobe and the Federal Capital Territory, making other States susceptible to the dreadful disease.
Confirming the ugly development, the Chief Epidemiologist in the Federal Ministry of Health, Doctor Henry Akpan said about six thousand suspected cases had been reported, while there were other reports in the media which said the victims are more than that.
Available records show that Bauchi State had two thousand, four hundred and seventeen cases and about one hundred deaths, while one hundred and twenty and sixty five deaths had been recorded in Borno and Katsina States respectively.
Medical Experts have however attributed the outbreak to lack of access to safe water and good sanitary environment, which, in fact, makes all States of the Federation susceptible to the outbreak of the disease.
The fact that the case has not been reported in some parts of the country doesn’t insulate such states from the disease.
Hence, government at all levels must therefore ensure proper supply of potable water and proper maintenance of public utilities, particularly toilets and boreholes with a view to guaranteeing sound environment and hygienic for all and sundries.
Attitudinal change also needs to be advocated among Nigerians on making their environment tidy at all times as well as ensuring that water, fruits and foods are safe before taking them.
Epidemiologists and sanitary inspectors must be employed and supported in all the seven hundred and seventy- four local government areas of the country, to increase surveillance, treatment and enlightenment campaign across the country.
Conclusively, it is necessary for the president to be proactive and develop long term mechanism that will put an end to this scourge of epidemic while comprehensive probe should also be made into how the money budgeted and released by governments and development partners like UNICEF,WHO,MDGS and the World bank on water supply are expended in the last ten years.
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