Security as an Important Tool in Sustainable Development and Nation Building
The Nigerian Experience
Security is one of the reasons people came together to form a state. Therefore, security is a vital issue in sustainable development and nation building in any nation. Development and security are two parallel things because it is a concurrent thing in that one cannot stand without the other. It is because for sustainable development to be attainable one must develop what one can secure else it will be lost, and growth will be impossible.
Security is a vital issue as event/history has shown that a secured state develops and advances better. We can apply the concept of security in various aspects of human existence like the security of lives and properties, food security, medical/health security among others. Security, by way of definition, means a state or feeling of safety or freedom from worries. Therefore, one can do more and achieve more when one is secured. Food security has been a global issue as the world leaders try to fight hunger in some countries.
There is also need of employment security in that one needs to be secure in one’s job or profession. It goes a long way to show that security is what anybody or nation cannot do without it.
The major problem in the security system of Nigeria is the security of lives and properties. It is because the adequate protection of lives and properties seems to be for the wealthy politicians and other citizens that have the money to pay for such security. That is the main reason Nigeria has failed to develop at a healthy pace. Steady power supply all over the nation has been elusive either because of corruption in the system or because of vandals or looting. It shows the level of security in Nigeria.
Secondly, the security system cannot grantee the lives and properties of businessmen or women that may want to work around the clock. That is a situation where companies and other establishments can be open for 24 hours thereby creating more job opportunities regarding job shift. Even some people cannot sleep comfortably in their homes because of armed robbery and inadequate response from the men of the police.
The recent alarming internal disturbance under the auspices of Boko Haram goes a long way to expose the high level of insecurity in Nigeria because it is evident that the streets are not secured.
The main point here is that development can only be possible when the citizens enjoy some degree of security. It is because it is the people that work for the development of any nation and they cannot comfortably work when they are not secure. Secondly, the security of properties cannot be looked down upon if any country wants to develop for we know that we cannot sustain development without the protection of lives and properties. Therefore, security remains the first line of any developmental objectives which is expected to be sustainable.
