NIGERIA @ 57: "We Need Peace To Achieve Our Individual Goals"',.....Haruna Sae'ed

As Nigeria celebrates its 57th Independence Anniversary, many are optimistic of a greater nation.

NAIJ NEWS ALERT speaks exclusively with Honourable Haruna Yunusa Sae'ed
Kajuru, a strong believer in the nation's leadersip to rise above all its challenges to deliver on its promises for a better Nigeria, says "our country had suffered in the hands of bad leadership in the past".

Emmanuel Onotevure brings you the details.

Read on:

Nigeria at 57; how has the country fared? Will you say we have, as a nation fared well when we consider the ideals and sacrifices of our founding fathers ?

In the last 57 years, our dear country has suffered greatly in the hands of bad leadership, leading to loss of great opportunities to secure and lead a nation to greatness. The result is disoderliness, corruption, infrastructural decay, unemployment, insecurity, low income and investment, religious intolerance and more.

A lot of time, energy and resources are usually wasted in trying to fix what a good leadership would have done from the onset.

The NGO Bill Commission which has passed Second Reading in the Federal House of Representatives, is generating so much controversies.
What is your take on the eligibility or otherwise of this bill?

One of the key functions of the Legislative houses is bills making. Therefore, this falls under their purview and therefore, eligible. However, any bill can meet the minimum standard for a society based on its needs and abilities at any given time or fall short of them, hence the need for inputs from a wide section of the society.

In this case, therefore, if it is observed that it is not relevant for the moment or, needs better contents, then lobbying is the normal process of achieving any such position.

There are on-going reports that the Federal Government is planning to pull out of 90 international organisations.
What is your position as regards the necessity and implications of such a move?

I am not sure that is the position. Our country, like any other civilized nation, cannot operate in a vacuum, especially under the current president who had operated under such circumstances in the past. He was not only a Minister of petroleum; a position that he had to be working with many international institutions, but he was a Head of State.

What I think the situation is, is that, the nation must be in arrears in the payment of dues, which must predate this regime to reach the critical level of the moment. What is needed therefore, is to take urgent steps to remedy the situation and restore our credibility as a nation.

There are calls in several quarters for a legislation that will bring about a defined aged bracket for elective positions especially for office of President.
What is your view?

Although it is believed that wisdom; a key ingredient in leadership, comes with age. It is, nonetheless, not necessary to put a minimum age into elective office or position. We already have an age that qualifies a citizen to vote. That age should also qualify one to be voted for. We all know that, at least for now, one would require more years on his voting age before he earns the voters confidence to elect him. Therefore, the not too young bill can go that far


Peace as a tool for nation building.
How can we build a peaceful society for our youths?

 Indeed, peace is not only needed for nation building but also for human development. We need peace to achieve our individual goals; economic, political, or social.

The youth may be the greatest beneficiary of the peace of any moment, but the losers of all times are children, women and the aged when we lose peace.

We must therefore, make peace a priority in our society for the needed national cohesion, growth and development.