The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has tasked political leaders to always reflects on the motto of the National Institute: “Towards a Better Society.”
He said leaders should ask very deep and serious question on why Nigeria was not really moving forward despite having this calibre of people in the society.
The Sultan who is also the chairman of Alumni Association of National Institute’s (AANI) Heritage Council made this known at AANI’s 45th Annual General Meeting and election of a new National Executive Committee in Kuru, near Jos at the weekend.
“We need to ask ourselves that question and if we are to give an honest answer, we must look inward, look deeply and reflect,” the Sultan said.
According to him, “Our leaders must also ask themselves how they can better utilise the vast resources of the National Institute, which was established decades ago.
“The truth is that, there is no topic, none at all that hasn’t been addressed in one form or another by participants of this institute, be it security, agriculture, social issues you name it. There are countless papers on these topics, but they are now just gathering dust in the libraries.”
He added, “We must wake up. The authorities must understand that NIPSS is not just a name, it is a centre for the development of this country.
“If we truly want to move Nigeria forward, then we must place NIPSS at the centre, at the cornerstone of our national development agenda,” he said.
He emphasised the need for leaders to utilise NIPSS human resources to address nation-building challenges and foster development.
For his part, Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Arch. Samuel Jatau, challenged AANI members to drive the process of reconciliation and rebuilding trust among communities in Nigeria.
The governor said the ongoing insecurity and distrust in the country must be addressed for the nation to make any meaningful progress.
“For me, the two greatest challenges Nigeria faces today are ethnicity and religion and the deep distrust that flows from both. AANI must take the lead in driving the process of national reconciliation and trust-building,” Mutfwang said.
He said the task of rebuilding Nigeria is not just in policy but in practice, to leave a legacy that history will not forget.
Meanwhile, AANI President, Amb. Emmanuel Okafor noted that despite the economic challenges, the association has remained committed to strengthening advocacy and partnership with stakeholders to promote good governance.
He urged members to participate actively in all activities to enable the association maximise impact on members’ welfare, development of NIPSS, and the progress of the nation.
