The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has tasked political leaders to always reflect on the motto of the National Institute, “Towards a Better Society”
He pointed out that they should ask themselves very deep and serious questions about why Nigeria is not really moving forward despite having this calibre of people in society.
The Sultan, who is also the chairman of the alumni association of the National Institute (AANI)’s Heritage Council, made this known at the weekend’s Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI) 45th Annual General Meeting and the election of a new National Executive Committee that will steer the association’s affairs for the next two years in Kuru near Jos.
He maintained, “We need to ask ourselves that question and if we are to give an honest answer, we must look inward, look deeply and reflect.”
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 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.
According to him, “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.
The Sultan further stressed, “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 emphasised the need for leaders to utilise NIPSS human resources to address nation-building challenges and foster development.
In his remarks, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who was represented at the occasion by the secretary to the government of state (SGS) Arch Samuel Jatau, challenged AANI members to drive the process of reconciliation and rebuild trust among communities in Nigeria.
According to the governor, the insecurity and distrust in the country must be addressed if we are to make any meaningful progress.
He further stressed, “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.”
According to him, the task of rebuilding Nigeria is not just in policy but in practice so that they will leave a legacy that history will not forget.
Meanwhile, AANI president Amb Emmanuel Okafor noted in his opening address that despite economic challenges, the association has remained committed to strengthening advocacy and partnerships with stakeholders to promote good governance.
He urged members to participate actively in all activities to enable the association to maximise impact on members’ welfare, development of NIPSS, and the progress of the nation.
