The Executive Governor of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodimma on Friday called for true leadership and patriotism to promote national security and sustainable development.
Uzodimma, who made the call in Abuja while delivering a lecture on ”Promoting National Security And Sustainable Development, said that only honest and transparent leadership can inspire patriotism in the citizenry.
According to him, it is only through good and incorruptible governance, that the resources of the state could be judiciously applied to provide education, employment and infrastructure for the people to reduce social tension and in turn enhance security.
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”The first is through good governance, which should be incorruptible, the type that President Buhari exemplifies.
”It is only through good and incorruptible governance that the resources of the state can be judiciously applied to provide education, employment and infrastructure for the people which will reduce social tension and in turn enhance security.
”It is also only honest transparent governance that can inspire the needed patriotic zeal in the citizenry for love of country and fellow citizens.
”Patriotism breeds love for the country and love for the country breeds love for fellow citizens and love for fellow citizens abhors violence and insurgency,” he said.
The governor explained that there was a need for serious soul search and repentance by the political class.
”If every political leader in the country can preach peaceful co-existence and tolerance, the long journey to a peaceful and secured Nigeria would be shortened drastically.
According to him, transparent and honest leadership could inspire patriotism, which is the open code and the solution to our security problems.
“We all have roles to play for the sake of our Country.
“We the people recognise that we have a responsibility, as well as rights, that our destinies are bound together, that freedom, which only asks what is it for me, a freedom without a commitment to others, a freedom without love or charity, or duty or patriotism, is unworthy of our founding ideals, and those who died in their defence.
”And if we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under,” Uzodimma ended the lecture quoting Charles de Gaulle and Barak Obama.