Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) Weekly Subject Experts’ Presentation was held at Hall B, TY Buratai Block, Abuja. There were two presentations made by the Subject Experts on Eastern Europe and East and Central Africa.
The first presentation was made by Brig Gen Ak Egwuagu (Rtd) subject experts on Eastern Europe. His presentation discussed on Russia, US to talk about ‘Peace, Not War’ From Now On. , During an interview with television host Pavel Zarubin on 16 February 2025, Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the recent phone talks between the Russian and U.S. Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, means that Moscow and Washington will from now on focus on peace (TASS, 16 Feb 2025). According to Peskov, it was a powerful message which stated that from now on, “we will try to solve problems through dialogue, and we will talk about peace, not war”. For him, Trump’s view should appeal to any sound-minded person, noting that Russia completely lacked communication with the previous US administration. Putin and Trump had spoken on phone on February 12, 2025, in which they discussed about stopping hostilities in Ukraine, bilateral relations and some other issues, agreeing to maintain contact and arrange a face-to-face meeting.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria, Brig Gen Ak Egwuagu (Rtd) noted that, Nigeria could learn from the recent Russia-US resolution for ‘peace and not war’, as the conflict in Ukraine highlights the importance of deterrence and diplomacy in preventing war, thereby encouraging her to strengthen its diplomatic efforts and to build strong relationships with other nations to prevent war. The use of economic sanctions by the US and its allies against Russia demonstrates the effectiveness of economic statecraft as a tool for influencing behaviour which Nigeria could learn from, towards achieving its foreign policy goals. The Ukraine-Russia conflict also underscores the significance of national unity and identity in withstanding external pressures, which Nigeria with her diverse ethnic and religious groups, could draw lessons from Ukraine’s experience and resolve to promote national unity and cohesion always.
Although Nigeria has established several initiatives to promote dialogue and address grievances among various ethnic and religious groups, including the National Peace Committee launched in 2014 and Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace in 2017 among others, not much has been achieved in building trust and finding lasting peace in the country. To properly address ethnic and religious conflicts in the country, there is need to continue with national dialogues, strengthen the judiciary, law enforcement agencies and electoral bodies, while critically promoting education and awareness for tolerance and peaceful co-existence.
There is also the need to enhance constitutional reforms to address the root causes of conflicts, effect security sector reforms, re-establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission like the Oputa Panel of 1999 and to address historical grievances with a view to foster a culture of peace in the country. Furthermore, the conflict in Ukraine highlights the importance of military preparedness and modernization in deterring aggression, which demands that the Nigerian military needs to prioritize on modernization, capacity building and continuous training to enhance national security. It may be pointed out that all the lessons highlighted above, offer valuable insights for Nigeria to evaluate its security challenges towards addressing them and promoting peace and stability in the region.
He recommended t that, the FGN, States, LGAs and Ministry of Art and Culture should leverage on cultural exchange programmes to promote understanding and tolerance among different ethnic and religious groups in the country, towards fostering a culture of lasting peace and national unity.
The second presentation was made by Brig Gen ED Idimah subject experts on East and Central Africa. His presentation Centered on how, Kenya Ranks 121st in 2024 Corruption Perception Index. On Tuesday, 11 February 2025, News Trends Kenya, reported that Kenya has been ranked 121st out of 180 countries in the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), with a score of 32 out of 100. This marks a slight improvement from the previous year’s score of 31 but remains below both the Sub-Saharan African average of 33 and the global average of 43. The CPI, released by Transparency International, assesses the perceived levels of public sector corruption worldwide, with a score of 0 indicating high corruption and 100 signifying a corruption-free public sector. Kenya’s score of 32 reflects ongoing challenges with public sector corruption. Despite increased public awareness and civic engagement concerning corruption, the report indicates that Kenya’s performance has largely stagnated over the past five years. In East Africa, Rwanda leads the region with a score of 57, improving from 53 in 2023, while Tanzania also showed progress with a score of 41, up from 40 in 2023. Uganda maintained a score of 26, and Burundi’s score decreased to 17 from 20 in 2023.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria, Brig Gen ED Idimah noted that, Nigeria, on the other hand has also faced significant corruption challenges. As of the 2024 CPI, Nigeria ranks 140th globally with a score of 26/100 (Transparency International, 2024). This reflects a grim view of the public sector, where corruption is seen as deeply entrenched in the political system. The Nigerian government has instituted several anti-corruption measures, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), but the persistence of corruption remains a major obstacle to the country’s growth. Nigeria’s ranking of 140 out of 180 countries in the 2024 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) is a wake-up call for the country to intensify its anti-corruption efforts. Here are some key lessons Nigeria can draw from this ranking:
Strengthening Institutions: Nigeria needs to strengthen its institutions, particularly the judiciary, to ensure that corruption cases are prosecuted effectively. The country’s justice system has been criticized for being weak, which allows corruption to thrive. Improving Transparency and Accountability: Nigeria must improve transparency and accountability in government institutions. This can be achieved by implementing robust transparency and accountability mechanisms, such as the publication of budgets, contracts, and procurement processes.
Addressing Corruption in the Justice System: Corruption in the justice system is a major concern in Nigeria. The country needs to address this issue by ensuring that the justice system is independent, impartial, and free from corruption.
Empowering Civil Society: Civil society organizations play a crucial role in promoting transparency and accountability in government institutions. Nigeria needs to empower civil society organizations to hold the government accountable for its actions.
He recommended that, the FGN should improve the capacity and independence of its anti -corruption agencies like Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other relevant organizations to ensure that corruption cases are thoroughly investigated and prosecuted .
