Dorothy Aken’ova is the Executive Director of the International Centre for Reproductive Health and Sexual Rights in Nigeria (INCREASE). She founded the Non-.governmental Organization (NGO) in Minna in 2000 and has never stopped fighting for the oppressed since then. She spoke to www.metrowatchxtra.com in Minna on how she plans to become the next president, commander-in-chief of Nigeria, come 2023. She spoke to Sam Kayode. Excerpts
INTERVIEW
WHAT WILL YOU DO DIFFERENTLY IF YOU’RE VOTED BASED ON THE VEXED ISSUE OF SECURITY?
Firstly, we have seen what happened in Afghanistan when so called repentant bandits were integrated into the security forces of that country. And we should learn from such countries. Because some people have said they are sorry, and have put down their arms without knowing the weight of their arsenal, we are just judging from the few weapons we have seen paraded in the media to show that they have repented. How then do you inject those kinds of people into our military? Or security apparatus? We would be creating weak points within the security apparatus when we do that.
METROWATCH cuts in ….. DO YOU HAVE ANY EVIDENCE TO BACK UP THIS GRIEVIOUS ALLEGATIONS YOU ARE POSITING?
Look! We have seen clips here and there indicating that they are sorry. And were in turn drafted to fight their own people in the bush. Maybe because they used to be so called bandits someone somewhere thinks, they now have enough conviction to fight for the country simply because they said they were sorry. But that is not enough because it’s not every fighter that is a good fighter. What if the former fighter no matter his credentials was corrupt? Corruption would be attached to him. I am using corruption to state that if the profile of something is diluted with negative tendencies, we cannot have such people mixing with our security forces. I know that I have seen in the news when they were saying that so much number of bandits who were repentant were enrolled into what ever apparatus we have countering their offensive. That is a wrong thing to do. We should find other means to re-absorb them but not to put them in there. When they are in, I perceive them to be a sleeping cell that can be awaken at any time. They can be used by enemies against the military itself. And if you have an enemy within then we are finished. So I wouldn’t do that if I am the commander in chief. I believe that there are other ways to sort them out other than to put them into any of our security outfits.
The other challenge is how do we mop out all the arms and ammunition in the general area? Especially those coming in from France through Mali, Niger and are likely going to end up in Nigeria? So we need to think of how to engage countries like that who are at the root of ensuring that they create a market for Their arms and ammunition knowing fully well that the people who will pay for it with their resources and lives are Nigerians. We need to make sure that we begin to think of how to engage countries like that. We need to put in place policies that would make them turn in their arms and ammunition voluntarily so that we design policies to overcome this challenge. Packages can be designed and all that. Regardless of how good they are in shooting or snipping.
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT POLICIES OF THE NDA AS IT IS NOW? HOW WILL YOU HANDLE THE FLAWS WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION?
First there would be strategies in place backed by best practices. In my sober moments, I think about woman who have led countries successfully. I believe that if I get the ticket, I will rub minds with women who are leaders in other countries, making good progress to enquire of how they handled these critical matters. Look at Serlief in Liberia, she came after a war and reset the country. I want to hear how she went about it for instance. So that I can borrow a leaf or two from her.
But I believe my role as a commander in chief would be in engaging the people. The security apparatus and those at the helm of affairs to see what solutions they have. So that one is well informed of what solutions to proffer in times like this. On the other hand I will also bother about our law enforcement agencies especially the military because they need to be treated better than what they are getting now. We need to look at how to improve their lives. If people are dying for a country there is something that makes them want to die for their country. That I think has been taken for granted.
LIKE PATRIOTISM?
Indeed when people know that they will be taken care of they will be willing to lay down their lives for the nation. And even their benefits are not given to them as at when due. Or they are probably not sure that their families will ever get the money.
There are stories that we have heard from activism where women whose husbands have died in the course of duty. And their benefits are not given to them. Some of them had to give sex in exchange for what is rightly for their husbands. There are colleagues seeing these things happening. And you want them to die so that the same thing can happen to their wives and children. Somethings needs to be done urgently to stop this. I think our values need to be reevaluated so that we give it a second look and begin to think of how to engage all of them and get solutions.
I have imagined that all my ministers are going to be like preachers of morals and values and they are going to respect the people and put them above all things by making themselves servants with dignity, credibility, transparency and accountability. I will make sure they do theses things practically before talking to anyone. So that you can see evidences in their life styles. And there would be a promotion of character so that people know that when they are of good character, they are the ones who are valuable not people carrying stolen cash all over the place. Because all of those things need to be rebuilt. And we will do so by engaging with those in government and leadership. We will also engage the populace responsible for selecting who goes in there. What sense does it make if I collect 5000 and cast vote for someone who is going to plunder resources that my generation unborn suffers as a result? Who am I voting for? Someone that will keep borrowing money that our economy will end up being sold out as a result of debt what is wrong? Can’t we bring down our spending power? What happens in your family when your income decreases? Don’t you bring down your spending power? Do you continue spending until there is no tomorrow.
That is reckless and irresponsible. So as a country, the same rules apply. Let us cut down on our expenses. If we don’t have money, any more and we are borrowing. Then why are the senators earning the same amount of money? Why are the long convoys still the same? Why? Why? Why? …
The things we do at our personal levels should impact on our best practices at higher levels. We can’t use them in our personal lives as principles that works and then throw them through the window because we are thinking that the money is not somebody’s money? It’s all our resources and money. And not only us who are working in the planet even those who are yet to be born. if we can’t keep or preserve things for them, then we are of all the most foolish generation in this country.
YOU ARE SAYING WE SHOULD CUT DOWN EXPENSES ON GOVERNMENT TO ACHIEVE GOOD GOVERNMENT. WHAT THEN IS YOUR PERCEPTION OF GOOD GOVERNMENT?
indeed, because as you alluded to, most people born after 1980 do not know what good government is because they have never seen it. They don’t even know the meaning. You see, my perception of good government is a government which is accountable to it’s people. A govt that has policies and adheres to them in transparency and accountability. It’s a system with credible people who deliver services to their people according to the oaths of office they swore to. That for me is good government. It creates an enabling environment for people to prosper. It’s a government that understands that people have potentials and that potential must be groomed. And that there has to be a platform for the potential to find it’s special place to thrive.
Not a government that goes around not even realizing that it has a people not to talk of the potentials that the people have to bring on board. We can’t have a government that only recognizes leadership. This is because without the people there is no leadership. And we don’t want a government that sees leadership position as power. It’s a position of service. That is the number one thing. If there is a paraphernalia and all sorts of efizy that goes with it. It is simply to secure the person in there against maybe some unscrupulous elements. And that cannot be a good way of life. It should not be any one hungers for. I don’t want to be a President, if all I will have is power. I want a platform where I will impart positively on all Nigerians.
