Boko Haram not terrorist group – University Don

Posted by admin Boko Haram, Headlines Monday, October 3rd, 2011

A crime management expert and acting Head, Political Science Department, University of Ibadan, Dr. Osisioma Nwolise, has said Boko Haram is not a terrorist organisation.

Rather, the university don described the group as a liberation force in the mould of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, the Oodua Peoples Congress that came as a result of a ‘state-people conflict’ and struggle for social justice.

Nwolise spoke while presenting a paper titled ‘Nigeria at 51: Where is the life more abundant for the masses?’ at a public lecture and award ceremony to mark the nation’s 51st independence anniversary organised by the Centre for Good Governance in Africa at the Conference Centre of the university on Friday.

The HOD, who taught Terrorism Management at the National Defence College for five years, however admitted that a thin line separated terrorism and liberation struggle.

Nwolise said, “It is not everybody that uses terrorist tactics that is a terrorist.”

He regretted that the life abundant which Nigerians were promised by nationalists at independence had remained elusive.

He said, “Between 1450s and 1850s, over 400,000 Africans were forcibly carried away as slaves. Today, if a slave ship of one million capacity berths at the Apapa Port and calls for those who want to go voluntarily to the United States and United Kingdom on slavery, the ship will not take one hour to be filled.

“It shows the extent our post-independence political rulers have devalued our lives.”

The programme coordinator, Adefemi Johnson, said while it was noteworthy that President Goodluck Jonathan had finally made up his mind to carry out power sector reforms.

He, however, urged Jonathan not foot-drag on the decision because uninterrupted electricity was critical to the economy.

He pointed out that the country could not afford to carry on with business as usual, as had been done in the last 51 years and called for commitment on the part of the political leadership towards the socio-economic development of the citizens.

The Director-General of National Space Research and Development Agency, Abuja, Seidu Mohammed; the Chairman, Offa Local Government Council of Kwara State, Mr Saheed Popoola; and others received African Symbol for Quality Leadership award at the event.

-Punchwp_posts