The title of this post is the subject matter of a three tier discourse which would climax in September 2024. What do I mean by the 'three tier discourse'? The parley started with focus group discussions (FGDs) with the youth, women and other stakeholders in the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria May 2024 - AMAC, Abaji, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali. I am the Consultant to the Mandate Secretary (MS), Women Affairs Secretariat (WAS), FCT on Women, Peace & Security (WPS). The MS is Hon. Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi.
The FGDs elicited the perspective of the Women Area Council Development Officers (WACDOs) about the security of women beyond perimeter fencing - human security (HS), which entails health, education, social services, legal framework, agriculture & food security, transport, etc. The discussions on the youth platform embraced other stakeholders on human security. On the 16th of May 2024, a day before my 66th birthday, I presented a paper on behalf of the MS at the Bwari Area Council as part of WAS's engagemnet with the youth and other critical stakeolders, titled: 'Empowering women as catalysts for community resilience: Safeguarding Abuja against kidnapping incidents'. The paper was well received. The Permanent Secretary (PS), Alhaji Rabiu Adetoyi Kolawole led our team to the event. The Coordinator of the events for the Youth Summit is Comrade Zaka Nehemiah Danmasani. Zaka was also a discussant at the '2nd tier Discourse' organised byWAS/University of Abuja on the 24th of June 2024.
It was at the Bwaru Youth Summit on Security that the Minister of the Minister of the FCT, Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike was commended for boosting the security profile of Bwari and other Area Councils with motorcycles. I was also mentioned that Kigarko forest, at the boundary between Kargo Local Government (Kaduna state) and Bwari Area Council was a veritable insecurity hot spot! The wife of the District Head of Kawu, Alhaji Danjuma Dankawu, was kidnapped. As at the time of the Youth Summit, his wife was still held captive by the kidnappers. In spite of his predicament, Alhaji Dankawu was present at the Summit. It was also stated that Kuje, Bwari and Abaji were and are still the most vulnerable Area Councils.
Major takeaways from the Youth Summit are:
*Structural reforms are needed in the FCT in order to curb the level of insecurity.
*Urban poverty is a major cause of insecurity.
*There is an urgent need for Community Policing.
*There should be sustainable FCT surveillance.
*Upgraded infrastructure is unrgently needed (The feeder roads are vital)
*The FCT should adopy the Kebbi state approach: Death penalty for kidnappers' informants.
*There should be greater synergy via cooperation among the Area Councils of the FCT.
The second leg of the discourse was the one-day Pre-Conference Discourse held in collaboration with the Centre for Gender Security Studies & Youth Advancement (CeGSSYAd), University of Abuja on the 24th of June @ the National Assembly Library, Abuja. Coincidentally, the 24th of June 2004 was also Alhaji Adetoyi Kolawole's 100th day in office as the Pioneer Permanent Secretary (PPS) WAS. We wish him a successful tenure. Some of the participants are:
*Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi - Mandate Secretary, Women Affairs Secretariat, FCTA, Abuja
*Alhaji Rabiu Adetoyi Kolawole - Permanent Secretary, WAS FCTA
*Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na'Allah - Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja
*Dr. Adamu Gwary - Director, Department of Security Services, FCT
*Rtd. Gen. Lucky Irabor - Former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS)
*Queen Hauwa Yunusa - Wife of the Ona of Abaji & Rep. of Wives of Traditional Leaders in the FCT
*Mrs. Toun Okewale-Sonaiya - CEO Women Radio
*Dr. Joseph Ochogwu (Rep. by Ms. Grace Awodu) - DG Institute for Peace & Conflict Resolution (IPCR)
*Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa - Consultant on WPS to MS WAS/NATO's Subject Matter Expert on Gender
*Prof. Hauwa'u Evelyn Yusuf - Keynote Speaker/Professor of Criminology & Gender Studies, Kaduna State University
*Dr. Gloria Shajobi-Ibikunle - Associate Professor/Director, CeGSSYAd, University of Abuja
*Ms. Lois Auta - Disability Advocate/ED Cedar Seed Foundation
*Dr. Jumoke Jenyo - Gender Desk Officer/HoD Conflict, Peacekeeping & Humanitarian Studies, Centre for Strategic Studies, National Defence College (NDC), Abuja
*Dr. Olayinka Falola-Anoemuah - National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA)
*Prof. Amina Mustapha - Deputy Director, Africa Centre for Excellence in Dry Land Agriculture, Bayero University, Kano (BUK)
*ACC Kemi Ajet - NSCDC
*Dr. Jimoh Yussuf - Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Urban & Regional Planning/Director, Migration Studies, University of Abuja
*Prof. Rafatu Abdulhamid - Professor of Islamic Thought & Gender Studies Programme Coordinator, CeGSSYAd, University of Abuja
*Dr. Peter Adeyanju - Dept. of Sociology, University of Abuja
*Mandate Secretaries for Health, Education, Agriculture & Social Development were represented.
*Leticia Bertrand - Chairperson AI for Africa Empowerment Foundation/AI Leadership Strategist & Coach
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