The Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika has blamed the nation’s security challenges on the increasing cases of rural-urban migration with limited opportunities.
Awosika , who delivered a lecture at the induction of Course 28 participants of the National Defence College in Abuja, also stressed on the need for the Federal Government to ensure inclusive and widespread development of the country.
“Most of the challenges you can have with security emanates from young people. 65 percent of our population is under 35.
“That is a national asset because it is abled-bodied working-class people, but it is also a national problem if we don’t engage them,” she added.
The FBN boss further noted that for the country to effectively tackle the menace of insecurity, the Federal Government should work hard in educating many youths and also engaging them upon graduation.
Averring that Nigeria has “an effective national education plan that ensures that every single child that is born in this country has access to education,” Awosika stated the importance of education, adding that “an educated, enlightened mind is an asset in nation-building.”
While commending the Armed Forces for their role to national development, she noted that securing Nigeria or any country is “beyond the guns and the battles.”
“It is more strategic, it is clearly proactive. And in being proactive in handling the issues that can lead to war, you need to have taken care of many factors from the onset”,she explained.
Awosika who believes that the nation’s economy has a great impact on the state of security concluded that people will avoid conflict and war when they are well fed.
On the issue of inclusiveness in the military, the First Bank Chief called for more enrolment of women in the nation’s Armed Forces.
