Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has stated that poverty is the main reason why Nigerians feel unsafe.
According to Obasa, who spoke on Sunday, everyone—not just the police—has a role to play in ensuring the safety of the country’s citizens and their possessions.
During the 31st Pre-Ramadan lecture hosted by the Muslim Alumni of the University of Lagos, he made these claims in his keynote speech.
In attendance were Professor Is’haq Oloyede, Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB); Dr. Abdulmumini Alao, President of the association; Dr. Ridwan Jamiu, Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque; and Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, Governor of Borno State, represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur.
After the lecture, Obasa gave a statement to Gistcon in which he said that poverty is the main cause of insecurity in the nation.
He went on to say that security was about more than just being physically protected; it was also about ending poverty, which he said was at the heart of insecurity. Then he took use of the moment to call on politicians to be honest, fair, and dedicated to helping people.
He went on to say that helping the poor will give everyone’s lives purpose, and he pleaded with Nigerian politicians and the wealthy to do just that.
“There has to be an input,” Obasa stated. The things we must do for the safety of our society are identical to those we must do for our eternal salvation. Poverty causes insecurity.
Everyone, not only the police, must do their part to keep our communities safe. Doing so is our common spiritual obligation. Do not simply drive past a gathering of people; instead, stop and ask them who they are.
Honesty, equity, and service to the human race are the tenets of good government. We need to be compassionate in our homes and communities, helping the downtrodden, feeding the poor, and standing up for the repressed.