Quality Leadership Critical To Peaceful Coexistence – Gen Agwai Stresses

BY UKANDI ODEY, JOS – Chairman of the Middle Belt Brain Trust (MBBT) and former Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai (retd) has observed that the internal crises being experienced in several countries globally have exceeded conflicts that can be linked to external aggressions.

General Agwai noted that this has made it necessary for the right leadership to be placed at various units of government in order to prevent such crises from occurring in the first instance.

Agwai, who spoke at a two-day conflict sensitivity training for local government chairman and top LG officials held in Pankshin, Plateau State, also said that leadership plays an important role in attaining peaceful coexistence in communities.

The former Chief of Defence Staff also identified some of the causes of conflicts, and blamed the tendency by people to readily and simply copy what they see on social media.

He said; “The world has become a global village. People can view developments from everywhere through social media, and this has come with its challenges.

“One of such challenges is the copy cat syndrome where people tend to copy what they see happening in other climes”.

Agwai recalled that as Chief of Army Staff and in a bid to transform the Nigerian army, he noted the changing nature of violent conflicts around the world, as people tied explosives on themselves and detonated them to exert damage on others, adding that shortly thereafter, this violence started happening in Nigeria.

He said internal distress has become alarming, and not restricted to developing countries because even developed countries like the US are battling with how to contend violence and organized crime.

According to him; “Before, the concentration is to fight other countries, but what we have now are internal challenges to the extent that countries have destroyed what they built with their own hands and created internally displaced persons”.

Agwai said security is a requisite for development as the two go in tandem and therefore advised local government chairmen to ensure they provide the two, that is development and security, saying they are fundamental to quality leadership.

He said to ensure peaceful coexistence, leaders must ensure equity, fairness, inclusiveness, pointing out that what is spent in maintaining peace is far less than what would be spent to resolve conflicts.

Agwai admonished the local government chairmen to show leadership on all occasions, stressing that in the event that they cannot be present and the situation is vital, they should delegate responsibilities.

Also speaking, a former Vice Chancellor of Veritas University, Prof Mike Kwanashie, who was a resource person at the workshop, said new methods are needed by leaders at all levels to avoid conflicts and ensure security of lives and property.

Kwanashie said this is because Nigerian leaders have over the years made the same mistakes “over and over again”, adding that having effective local government leaders who are autonomous, would avert much of the current crises being experienced.

He canvassed for empathy for the governed people, stressing that the local government Chairmen in Plateau state are important to peace and security in Nigeria as the Middle Belt holds the key to the survival of Nigeria.

The training was attended by all the local government chairmen in Plateau state and top LGA staff including secretaries to local governments, supervisory councillors and heads of departments.