Vice President Kashim Shettima has commended the contributions of academics to national unity, saying a more secure and prosperous country is possible through their works.
Shettima said this during the public presentation of two books, “Boko Haram and Other Security Challenges in Nigeria: Issues and Options for Policy” and “Reflections on the 2023 General Elections” written by Prof Abdullahi Shehu.
Represented by the Special Adviser to the President on General Duties (Office of the Vice President), Dr Aliyu Moddibo, the Shettima noted that beyond standing as custodians of the country’s memory, the intellectual inquiry and data-driven analysis of scholars can “help to chart a course towards a more secure and prosperous country.”
“It is a must-read book for those tasked with protecting lives and property. We must ensure that our dear brother’s ideas and discoveries don’t merely remain as a literary exercise,” he said.
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The vice president, who commended the interventions of Prof Shehu, said, “These books aren’t only topical but much-awaited interventions in our public discourse and policy circles. The books must be seen by each of us, present and absent, as an invitation to learn and adhere to the truths of our country. The books are also an invitation to recreate a memory of a country rooted in neither bigotry nor dishonesty.
“This retelling of our history through research, free from the biases that have frustrated public discourse in Nigeria, is the memory we seek.
“We must read these books not only to understand what has been done by leaders of the country in the past but also to guide successive generations of leaders and stakeholders involved in the business of making peace.”
A former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, also said the book on General Elections contained invaluable contributions and fulcrum to what happened in the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.
He said it outlined lessons to be learned for strengthening democracy and good governance in Nigeria.
“I believe that some of the recommendations in the book would be useful in framing appropriate reforms and improving the electoral system, which is what the National Assembly is now going through for the restructuring that is required in Nigeria,” he said.
He commended the author for the invaluable contribution in impacting policies in the country, saying, “More ink to their pen and more grease to their elbow.”
The author, Prof Shehu, appreciated the leaders and all the attendees and assured them that the proceeds from the book launch would be used judiciously for humanity as it is going back to those affected by the insecurity challenges in the country.
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