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The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, Jos was established In 1979 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo during his military administration, for a particular objective. After its establishment, many of such institutions were also established. Such as the national war college now National Defence College and the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs. There also exist other privately organized institutions that are non governmental like Africa Center for Development and Strategic Studies ( ACDESS), Nigeria economic summit group, center for public policy alternatives, the initiative for public policy analysis etc.
However, every alumni of NIPSS are eminently qualified to belong to the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI). It s the umbrella body of every alumni of National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS). This association can therefore be seen as a national think tank . A completely indigenous creation.
The history of the think tank can be traced to the establishment of NIPSS .
According to University of Southern California historian, Mr Jacob Soll, “the term think tank is modern, but can be traced to the humanist academies and scholarly networks of the 16th and 17th centuries .”Soll notes that “in Europe, the origins of think tanks go back to the 800s, when emperors and kings began arguing with the Catholic Church about taxes. A tradition of hiring teams of independent lawyers to advise monarchs about their financial and political prerogatives against the church spans from Charlemagne all the way to the 17th century, when the kings of France were still arguing about whether they had the right to appoint bishops and receive a cut of their income” . He also writes, independent “research teams became common in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, when states often depended on independent scholars and their expertise”. Like every other venture in the country, private institutions that were set up mainly because of foreign attraction and donations which elicited imported propaganda and unsolicited foreign policies which started emerging in the country.
Their emergence started affecting the major objectives of the government institutions.
No wonder, President Olusegun Obasanjo during his 75th birthday anniversary summit at Otta , decried what he described as the proliferation of tink tanks in Nigeria. He was quoted as saying, that there are too many think tanks in Nigeria instead of do-tanks” .
According to him, “for over 35 years, NIPSS has continued to maintain the status of National institute and highest center of think tanks in Nigeria “. All over the world associations and institutions like NIPSS and AANI would have been a veritable source of informed policy and idea for the government in areas like national security, improved democratic system, international relations and national development among others . With an association like AANI, it become rather unfortunate not to hear or know much about it. An association whose membership are ranked as the best brains in the land. What could have been the reason for its docility in the past? Could it be government not acknowledging it relevance? An association reputed for quality policies needs to be rejuvenated. With the recent appointment of former lnspector General of police, Muhammed D. Abubakar as its president with 10 strong executive members, the coast is clear for a more vibrant and focused association to fill the gab as the national think-tank that government can tap from its well of diverse experiences. MD Abubakar it was, who refocused the police in Lagos as its commissioner when robbers held sway. Again as the lGP, he injected ideas that helped the police overcome many of its challenges. Today, he is one of the most celebrated lGP, though retired, but not tired to continue serving his country, by piloting such an eminent group of Nigerians.
In a communique issued at a recently organised public conference, had the government heeded all the advice in the communique, surely most of the issues that resurrected before, during and after the elections would have been well curtailed. A Nigerian adage says, you cannot entertain fear when the strongman in the land is with you. The federal and state governments should fully tap from this National think tank of the Alumni Association of the Nation.
Why kill security personnel?
Security personnel are Nigerian and belong to families. They are our brothers and sisters. They volunteered to serve their fatherland by opting to enlist in any of the security agencies in the country. They decided to sacrifice 35 years of their live in different harsh or uncomfortable situations by being patriotic. They are identified with a particular uniform, cap and shoe during this service years. They are patriotic Nigerians, but today, the same people they toil day and night to protect are the same people hunting them down. In the last election half a dozen of them from the military, Police and the Civil Defence corps were mercilessly killed like chickens on the altar of election by armed thugs empowered by irate politicians. These officers died in the line of duty. They were murdered for obeying the order commanding them to be at their election duty post. The thugs that perpetrated these dastardly act must be regretting now that the lid is off their eyes. They must have realised that the evil assignment they were asked to carry out was against Gods will. Their conscience must be pricking them because God had warned against killing and shedding the blood of fellow human being. If I were them, l would find my way to the nearest police station to report the politician that sent us on such wicked assignment or l will call and open up to the police by calling this number. (07056792065.)
SECURITY FILE congratulates one of our ardent reader, Mr Frank Mbah who is the Nigeria police spokesman. He was promoted to the next rank of a Deputy Commissioner of Police. We wish you more hard work and patriotic service to the country.
