Confidence Building For Nation Building, National Peace, Security, Development & Greatness

By: Prof. OBC Nwolise

The ECOWAS/WAKEORG Summit in focus is ultimately aimed at rapid development in West Africa at national and regional levels.
This will partly be pursued through awakening, energizing, and synergizing the people’s power.
It will also involve catalyzed national productivity, in all sectors (agriculture, industry, services etc), attraction of progressive foreign and domestic investors, as well as activation of all tourism potentials.
These require peace, and security.
To bring out the best in the citizens for this catalyzed national productivity, flourishing of tourism, as well as ensured national peace and security, requires their motivation and mobilization. This will get them reassured and committed to the development agenda. This will go a long way in ensuring that this summit does not end up as another talk-shop, but translates into the desired, designed and expected developmental outcome that will in turn set ECOWAS nations on the path of greatness.

II. RATIONALE

The focus on confidence-building here as a tool for nation-building, national peace, security, development and greatness stems from the fact that for the task and process of redrawing the economic map of the region to be meaningful and successful, they must necessarily begin from the hearts and minds of the people.
Currently, in several nations of the sub-region, there are crises of confidence between identity groups on the one hand, and between these groups and the state on the other hand.
Hearts and minds weighed down by perceived injustices, oppression, extortion, exploitation or domination can hardly bring out their best for national peace, security, development and greatness. This is because they have no faith or trust in the state or other groups they perceive as their adversaries, and can hardly work with in cooperation and collaboration.

III. MODALITY

Nation-building is far different from national (economic) development. It is a psycho-social function or process, and is fed by confidence-building, that fertilise national peace and security – two vital ingredients for meaningful development.
Nation-building involves the conscious weaving of diverse identity groups (ethnic, religious, etc) not only together, but into one national family, with one destiny and pursing agreed common values, interests, and ideals.
Confidence-building is critical for this one family weaving. It will enhance creation of the right milieu for national development and national greatness.
Confidence building can be effectively pursed through

well-designed genuine public education, enlightenment and mobilization
The organization of town hall meetings between identity groups on the one hand; and between the groups and well accredited representatives of the state (government). Through these meetings, the people enjoy their freedom of assembly, association and expression; generate and air their honest views as regards the challenges of the nation/sub-region and put forward Solution Strategies. The acceptance of their well debated views, and prompt implementation of decisions made/agreed upon generate needed confidence, that can be subsequently built upon.
Youth summits for harvesting their inputs and mobilizing their energies are imperative.
Galvanization of the political, economic, academic, military, social (traditional) and media elites is also critical.
Short term skill impartation courses of one, three, to six months are also important for man-power production.
Payment of living wage, respect for the rule of law and fundamental human rights, and availability of equal opportunities for all citizens without discrimination or favouratism/nepotism are all critical confidence-building strategies. These will bring out the best in citizens, catalyze national productivity, and enhance national peace, security, development and greatness.

IV. CONCLUSION

National security has in the post-cold war era gone far beyond the security of the state, maintained through awesome arms and military personnel. The world now talks about human security bifurcated into physical security and spiritual security.
National peace is no more accepted as peace of the graveyard. National peace is now based on justice, equity and fairness.
These are strong confidence building blocks in nations today; and are highly needed for the right atmosphere for catalyzed development in the West African sub-region as envisaged by the West Africa Knowledge Economic Organisation, and as implied in the patriotic thoughts for this ECOWAS/WAKEORG 2021 Summit.