Aregbesola Blames Poverty In The North For Insecurity

Aregbesola-gov_0KOSUN State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has identified large-scale poverty in the northern part of Nigeria as a major factor responsible for the insecurity in the country.

He therefore called on the federal government and Nigerians not to feel indifferent about the plight of the people in the northern part of the country.

However, the governor expressed displeasure that some Muslims, through their actions, were giving the world the impression that Jihad is a weapon in the hands of barbarians and a tool for mob action, a situation he blamed on ignorance.

He therefore called on the leaders from the zone to rise up to their responsibilities in ensuring that the trend was reversed in their own collective interest, saying the current situation, if left unchecked, could spell doom for the zone.

Speaking at the NASFAT symposium on ‘Islam and Peaceful Co-existence in a Contemporary Multi-Religious Society’ in Abuja on Thursday, Aregbesola: “The Human Development Index from the North is frightening. It is so low and has been so for the past 20 to 30 years. One even wonders why it has not influenced specific action from government. If we are really talking about eliminating this scourge as a nation, then we must pay special attention to that horrible situation. The present conflict is just one possible consequence of the continued neglect of the problem in the North.

“Addressing poverty is not reducible to giving them handout alone but empowering people in a way that their creative energy will be channelled towards wealth creation and self-sustenance. Employment must mean full and equal opportunities for all, irrespective of sex.  There is no way a society will make women unproductive and be sane or economically viable. This is what is happening in the North,” he said.

The governor noted that the problems being encountered in Nigeria are created by the Federal Government and to that extent, it must be involved in their resolution, stressing that, the essence of a central government is that it is there to support the weakest unit.

He suggested that if the country wants peace, it must not leave the unit that will draw it back, to itself. He warned that if what is going on in the north continues unchecked, the nation was doomed.

Speaking on Jihad, Aregbesola said: “We know from the Prophetic history that Jihad is not a war of hate; it is not a war of destruction; it is not an indiscriminate, random war; it’s not a mandate that can be appropriated by every Tom, Dick and Harry.”

The governor said that it was incumbent on Muslims to let the world know the essence of Islam, which is peace, and that it requires of them good relationship with their neighbours.

He stressed that his own case is unique as he is from a community of proud heritage of renowned Christian clerics, an epicenter of Pentecostal revival in the 20th century and a region where people of different faiths coexist peacefully.

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