A United States-based author and veteran journalist, Mr Tony Oyatedor has identified poverty and poor leadership as major factors that gave room for the emergence of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.

Boko Haram

“Terrorism is an error and sin of ignorance, which created excruciating distress and severe pains on Nigerians,” he said in an interview with journalists in Kaduna on Monday.

According to him, the failure to tackle poverty and Boko Haram through focused leadership is the part of reasons the current security challenges facing Nigeria will continue unabated.

The media expert said there was an urgent need for the Federal Government to develop innovative ways to tackle the security challenges in the country.

Mr Oyatedor, who the Chief Executive Officer of Newstime said, “leadership must make peace with the security problems, not because they want to, but because they have to and to suggest otherwise would be inaccurate.”

He noted that Nigeria is rich in natural and human resources, but suffers from wide-spread poverty due to bad leadership, adding that leaders must act in a proactive manner.

Also read: More reasons why Nigeria will not move 100m out of poverty in 10 yrs

He maintained that the leadership must also implement a road map for a peaceful, stable, secure and prosperous Nigeria.

“Leadership must implement short-term goals to improve life for Nigerians; the country must wake up after decades-long slumber.”

He said issues of farmers security also needed to be given priority to reduce the cost of agricultural production.

He expressed the hope that genuine efforts would be made to rebuild structures destroyed across the North due to the crisis.

Oyetedor called for national healing and forgiveness, so as to collectively confront the recurring challenges of insecurity, divisions and hate.

“Peace, prosperity, development, security will bring Nigeria back as the giant of Africa,” he added.

He said Nigeria must utilise its resources to build a robust economy beneficial to all citizens, as well as deploy the country’s domestic energy production to power a stronger economy.

Vanguard