A total of 38 students from 5 public schools, that participated in the debate competition organized by the Akogun Educational Support Initiative (AESI), at Oke-ode Town hall, Ifelodun local government of Kwara state earlier lastweek, have received scholarship awards to pursue their education by the chairman of the foundation who is also the Publisher of Kwara-based Fresh Insight Newspaper.
The beneficiary schools include FOMWAN Comprehensive College, Okeode, Agbona Secondary School, Share, Oke-ode Grammar School, Oke-ode and Government secondary school, Babanla.
The students had debated the causes and solutions to ethnic crisis in Nigeria, with 2 participants from each of the schools. FOMWAN Comprehensive College, Okeode took the lead with a total point of 70%, while Agbona High School, Share and Government Secondary School Babanla took first and second runner up positions with 63% and 46% points respectively. Oke-Ode Grammar School, Oke-ode had 48%.
The Panel of Judges for the debate was chaired by Engr. Ibrahim Olayinka Otukoko, with the famous Community Development practitioner – Lawal Olohungbebe and an Education Consultant – Ayodele Isaiah as members.
Earlier that day, the keynote speaker, Dr. Abdulsalam Bolakale Abdulsalam, fspsp, a retired DSS Director, former Special Assistant, Intelligence to Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and presently a University lecturer, highlighted causes, consequences of ethnic conflicts and strategic options to stem the trend.
Abdulsalam said, “It is unfortunate that the ethnic conflicts have continued unabated and constituted a serious security problem. The recent Shasha market and Billiri ethno-religious crises in Oyo and Bauchi States respectively are good examples and necessitates the need to build the minds of our younger generation towards the path of human capacity on how to keep Nigeria one through unity and cohesion.
“Institutional weakness on the part of tiers of the state stemming from lack of political will and lackadaisical attitude towards conflict management at the early stage, circulation of fake news, absence of peace education/programmes, absence of Good Governance and marginalization of the minority groups, uncontrollable arm proliferation and influence of hard drugs and other substances are the cause and responsible as motivation for ethnic violence in Nigeria.”
Abdusalam furthered that ethnic conflict/violence across the world has resulted to instant death, permanent injury, displacement of community members, dislocation of socio-economic activities, rape of women, and destruction of means of livelihood among others.
Earlier in their presentations, the secondary school students identified intolerance and lack of education among other. They suggested citizenship education for all and establishment of effective mediation institution across the country as solutions to ethnic crisis in the country.
