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Human Security: The Panacea for Africa’s Security Challenges

Tolulope M. Ola-David

French Institute for Research in Africa, IFRA-Nigeria/

Peace and Conflict Studies Programme,

Institute of African Studies,

University of Ibadan, Nigeria

tolulopeoladavid@yahoo.com

Abstract

The failure of human security and in most cases lack of it in most African states has led to an

increasing wave of violence, protests and intrastate conflict all across the continent. Countries such

as Burundi, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo,

Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan and Uganda

have been involved in or are still in the middle of intrastate armed conflicts all of which threaten

international peace and security. These armed conflicts have produced over 10 million refugees

and internally displaced persons while several thousands of people, men and women, young and

old have been murdered. All of these have however pushed governments on the continent to invest

more on internal state security rather than focusing human security by tackling the persistent

poverty; massive unemployment, poor health care issues as well as creating equal opportunity for

people to enjoy all their rights and fully develop their human potentials.

Increasingly, research and strategies are focusing on the importance of human security to

development, peace and security. Given that conflicts and disaster risks are on the rise on the

continent, the importance of having a better understanding of human security is evident.

Using comparative analysis of selected counties in the western world and in Africa, this paper

argues that although state security remains pivotal to peace, security and stability, it can only be

complementary to human security which remains the only solution to the internal conflicts on the

continent of Africa and the bedrock for guaranteed lasting peace and stability.

Introduction

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Over the last few decades, the continent of Africa has been battling with containing series of

intrastate conflicts such as insurgency, terrorism and civil war. From Rwanda to the Democratic

Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic to Uganda, Mali to Niger, Somalia to Kenya,

Chad to Cameroon, Sudan to South Sudan, Guinea Bissau to Sierra Leone, Nigeria to Benin,

Liberia to Ivory Coast, conflicts on the continent come in different fashions and mode. Many of

the world’s crises and conflicts within this period up until now have occurred in Africa. These

have been as a result of unemployment, poverty, hunger, deprivation and diseases, all of which

constitute human insecurity. Since the late 1980s up until now, the continent has executed conflicts

in different versions and dimensions; lives have been lost in their millions, hundreds of thousands

have lost their homes and properties, several families have been separated, million have been

internally displaced and others have become refugees in neighboring countries. For instance, the

genocide in Rwanda in 1994 alone claimed about a million lives in 100 days, the Boko Haram

insurgency in Nigeria has claimed over 12 thousands lives while others have lost their means of

livelihood; thousands have died in Central African Republic (CAR) while nearly a million have

become internally displaced1. Most of these conflicts have been traced to real and perceived

injustice; marginalization; inequalities; frustrations due to inability to meet the basic physiological

needs as well as unfavorable economic conditions and policies among others.

As at 2001, 24 major wars were recorded around the world, most of these were on the continent

of Africa and were intrastate. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

report of 2005, most of the countries at the bottom of human development ranking have either

recently just ended an internal conflict or were either in an ongoing conflict2. Reiterating this,

Transparency International in its 2009 Berlin Press Release states:

“The vast majority of the 180 countries included in the 2009 index score below five on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt). Fragile, unstable states that are scarred by war and ongoing conflict linger at the bottom of the index…. (This) demonstrates that countries which are perceived to have the highest levels of public-sector corruption are also those plagued by long-standing conflicts, which have torn apart their governance infrastructure.”3

                                                            1Reuters April 28, 2014(Top News) Gunmen ambush Muslim convoy in Central African Republic, two killed 2 United Nations Development Programme Annual Report 2005 3 www.transparency.org.my/wp.../08/CPI-2009-Berlin-Press-Release.pdf

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Unfortunately most of these countries invest a lot of funds into the procurement of arms to enforce

peace and ensure there is security. It becomes imperative however to distinguish between

traditional national security and human security. While traditional national security is generally

seen as military defense of territorial integrity against internal threats and external aggression and

the assertion of the sovereignty of a state, human security stresses the welfare of the ordinary

people within the state. It focuses on the welfare and the development of the ordinary individual

as well as his security and protection4.

Human security is arguably one of most important issues taking the center stage at the international

scene today; it has occupied a prominent position at the heart of global developmental agenda and

discussions5. Unlike state or national security, human security combines human development,

human protection and the protection of the fundamental rights and freedom of every citizen of a

state irrespective of ethnicity, age, gender, religious or political affiliation; as such understanding

it requires a holistic approach towards the empowerment and emancipation of individual citizen

of a state.

In African states, the security objectives of the state and that of an average individual within the

state seem to often clash. If Africa is ever going to have a break from the series of conflicts

plaguing it, the focus of security in the 21st century must of necessity shift to human development

agenda and improvements in social and economic well-being.’6

Internal conflicts in Africa is mostly caused by poverty, hunger, avoidable inequalities,

unemployment, oppression, corruption, ethnic inequalities, state repression including torture and

brutality by state’s law enforcement officers- all of which constitute human insecurity. Therefore,

bringing an end to conflict by whatever means, be it signing a peace agreement or by power based

approach-(military victory) does not mean the achievement of peace,7 however it provides a life

time opportunity for creating an atmosphere of a lasting peace and seeking to build a strong nation

                                                            4 Globalization, Human Security and the African Experience. Caroline Thomas and Peter Wilkin (eds.). Boulder: Lynne Reinner Publications, 1999. 211pp 5 Human Security in Africa; United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) December 2005 6 European peacebuilding liaison office (2011) Linking Peacebuilding and Development. 7 Licklider concluded that only one-third of the negotiated settlements of 'identity civil wars' (or ethnic conflicts) between 1945 and 1993 that lasted for at least five years resulted in lasting peace. Roy Licklider, “The Consequences of Negotiated Settlements in Civil Wars, 1945-1993”, American Political Science Review, 89:3 (September 1995), pp. 685-687.

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by fighting corruption; focusing on and investing in economic sustainability; fighting poverty;

creating jobs; making the most of domestic resources towards ending poverty; protecting

communities; ensuring equity and fairness; unleashing the potentials of the people-especially the

youths; unleashing the potentials of institutions and natural resources; absorbing a massive

infusion of new resources; as well as educating the next generation thereby protecting and

empowering people at the individual and community levels, all of which constitute human security.

Also ensuring an effective and efficient judiciary, law enforcement, transparency in public

budgets, revenue and aid flows; freedom of the press; developing and sustaining efficient

institutions and promoting good governance for the purpose of human development. Human

security is therefore a situation where individuals, groups and communities within a state are free

of injury and threats to their physical, economic and psychological wellbeing including freedom

from threats and direct attacks on their physical and psychological integrity8.

CAUSES OF CONFLICT

Fig1. Source: Initiative for Peacebuilding. Capacity Building and Training Cluster, a Guidance for Integrating Peacebuilding into

Development (2010)

                                                            8Oscar A. Gómez And Des Gasper. Human Security; A Thematic Guidance Note for Regional and National Human Development Report Teams. Human Development Report Office, United Nations Development Programme.

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THEORIES OF CONFLICT

Relative Deprivation Theory

Relative deprivation typically refers to perceptions of people in relation to their well-being in

comparison with others. Well-being may be estimated in terms of wealth, status, income, power

and prestige, level of education, opportunities, influence, access to amenities and resources.

However, while it is natural of every human being or group of people to want compare themselves

with others with who they live within the same environment, a sense of deprivation in any or all

of the areas mention above automatically breads the perception of injustice which is one of the

major causes of protest, violence and intrastate conflicts in many parts of the world today and

especially Africa. Davis (1959), Runciman (1966) Crosby (1976) and Gurr (1970) are the four

prominent theorists of relative deprivation theory. Relative deprivation theory argues that in a bit

to advocate social change, people engage in criminal activities to protest what they lack but others

have and they must have.

Maslow’s Theory of Needs

Abraham Maslow in his theory of needs identifies five levels of human needs, from the basic

physiological needs to the need for self actualization. He argues that until the basic needs are met

an individual cannot move to the next levels or higher levels of the pyramid. Although the research

support for Maslow’s theory is still evolving, it has remained relevant in the areas of policy,

practice, and has served as a relevant theory in the field of the social sciences for decades. For

about 70 years, Maslow’s needs theory has provided a framework for conceptualizing human

behavior and how positive or negative behaviour is motivated by the satisfaction or frustration of

the needs of an individual. Although scholars such as Manfred Max-Neef have argued that

fundamental needs of human beings cannot be arranged in a particular order of importance,

therefore they cannot be said to be in any way hierarchical rather they are merely part of the

conditions of being human. Although Manfred Max-Neef agrees to the existence of such needs,

he however argues that poverty may result if any of the any of the needs is frustrated, denied or

unfulfilled9.

                                                            9 Hofstede, G (1984). “The cultural relativity of the quality of life concept”. Academy of Management Review 9 (3): 389–398. doi:10.2307/258280. http:// www.nyegaards.com/yansafiles/Geert%20Hofstede%20cultural%20attitudes. pdf.

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Looking at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs however, Self Actualization remains the highest goal in

human development followed by esteem needs, needs for love and affection, safety and security

needs and physiological needs, situations. Daniels (2001) suggests that Maslow's ultimate

conclusion that the highest levels of self-actualization are transcendent in their nature may be one

of his most important contributions to the study of human behavior and motivation10.

Fig 2. Source: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs College of Lake County Healthcare Bridge Curriculum Levia Loftus

According to Maslow, The first four levels of the hierarchy are basic. They include:

1) Physiological: which include basic life needs such the need to satisfy one’s hunger, thirst and

bodily comforts such as; shelter, warmth, sleep e.t.c

2) Safety/security: protection out of danger;

3) Belongingness and Love: needs to affiliate with others, needs to be accepted in a family, at

work, in the society e.t.c

4) Esteem: needs to achieve, be competent, gain approval and recognition.

5) Self Actualization.

                                                            10 Daniels, M. (2001). Maslows's concept of self-actualization. Retrieved February 2004, from http://www.mdani.demon.co.uk/archive/MDMaslow.htm

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Human Security and Peacebuilding and Nexus "bottom-up" Approach

Peacebuilding and human security are inseparable, human security remains the heart of

peacebuilding, it is the foundation upon which peacebuilding is established. In other words,

without human security peacebuilding will be an extremely difficult process. While human

security basically is a developmental process which includes but not limited to “social, economic

and political processes that unlock expanded human capabilities and reduce vulnerability in

society”11, the development planning must be integrated into peacebuilding process in order to

achieve a sustainable peace. Peacebuilding on the other hand refers to developing interventions,

policies, strategies and actions with specific and measurable time bound objectives inclusive of

participation of all persons and groups especially the vulnerable with the aim of building capacity

within the society for the purpose of resolving conflicts in a non-violently way.12

There have been several definitions of peacebuilding by organizations and experts. However,

peacebuilding in a broader term could be described as involving a multidimensional combination

of conflict prevention, human security, political, humanitarian and development activities, adapted

to a particular context. It is not an instant drive through process; rather it involves a long term

process which could be a bit difficult. ‘Peacebuilding assumes that conflict is a natural part of

human existence, and that the goal is to transform the destructive ways we deal with conflict to

lead to more constructive outcomes.’13 The focus of peacebuilding is such that in the end the basic

human needs of the general population are met while the goal is the prevention of recurrence

violent conflicts or its spread to nearby conflict prone areas. A report of the Secretary-General on

the Prevention of Armed Conflict quoted in Thematic Guidelines on Peacebuilding14, describes

peacebuilding as ‘a series of activities implemented despite the conflict, with aims to establish the

                                                            11 European peacebuilding liaison office (2011) Linking Peacebuilding and Development. 12 Peacebuilding refers to policies, strategies and actions which aim to build the capacity within society to resolve and manage conflicts non-violently. European peacebuilding liaison office (2011) Linking Peacebuilding and Development. 13 Caritas International (2002). Peacebuilding: A Caritas training manual. Available at http://www.caritas.org/upload/pea/peacebil-ing_1.pdf 14 Japan International Cooperation Agency. Thematic Guidelines on Peacebuilding ,2011 . The Thematic Guidelines on Peacebuilding provide a summary of the background, trends of assistance, and the concepts of peacebuilding, based on which the document aims to present the direction of JICA’s cooperation programs as well as the points to consider. We expect the guidelines to encourage the interested parties to share the basic information and concepts related to peacebuilding, and to be used as a reference for the planning, screening or implementation process of JICA’s programs.

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foundation for peace and to provide the means to rebuild the foundation that extends beyond

absence of war.’ Ryan concludes that the task of peacebuilding “involves a switch of focus away

from the warriors, with whom peace-keepers are mainly concerned, to the attitudes and socio-

economic circumstances of ordinary people … So whereas peacekeeping is about building barriers

between the warriors, peace-building tries to build bridges between the ordinary people”15

According to Shank and Schirch (2008), peacebuilding is a wide range of efforts to prevent, reduce,

transform, and help people recover from violence in all forms, at all levels of society, and in all

stages of conflict16. Efforts must be made to understand and deal more fully with the variety of

issues relevant to the root causes of a conflict in order to have a roadmap for conflict prevention

and peacebuilding. The interconnections of development, security and human rights cannot be

overemphasized; they remain the building blocks for a lasting peace in post conflict societies and

ingredients for a lasting peace in any given society. In cases of post-conflict peacebuilding, all

stakeholders including the international community have a crucial role to play in nurturing the

fragile peace otherwise their inaction may undermine this fragile peacebuilding process17

According to Novelli and Smith,18 the Secretary-General’s report in 2009 on peacebuilding in the

immediate aftermath of conflict places the provision of social services, including education, among

five recurring priorities for peacebuilding. The priorities include:

1) Support to basic safety and security, including mine action, protection of civilians, disarmament,

demobilization and reintegration, strengthening the rule of law and initiation of security sector

reform;

2) Support to political processes, including electoral processes, promoting inclusive dialogue and

reconciliation, and developing conflict-management capacity at national and sub-national levels;

                                                            15 Stephen Ryan, Ethnic Conflict and International Relations (Aldershot: Dartmouth, 1990) 16 Peace History Society and Peace and Justice Studies Association 17 Wendy Lambourne (2004), Post-Conflict Peacebuilding: Meeting Human Needs for Justice and Reconciliation. Peace, Conflict and Development – Issue Four, April 2004 ISSN: 1742-0601 18 Mario Novelli of the University of Sussex and Alan Smith of the University of Ulster. The Role of Education in Peacebuilding: A synthesis report of findings from Lebanon, Nepal and Sierra Leone. © United Nations Children’s Fund, New York, (2011)

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3) Support to the provision of basic services, such as water and sanitation, health and primary

education, and support to the safe and sustainable return and reintegration of internally displaced

persons and refugees;

4) Support to restoring core government functions, in particular basic public administration and

public finance, at the national and sub-national levels;

5) Support to economic revitalization, including employment generation and livelihoods (in

agriculture and public works) particularly for youth and demobilized former combatants, as well

as the rehabilitation of basic infrastructure.

In other words human security does not only serve as the foundation for peacebuilding it serves as

the engine room of a peaceful society.

Principles of Human Security

1. Principle of Inclusion:

The focus of human security must be on the most vulnerable and the marginalized of the

population, especially the minorities, internally displaced, women and children, widows as well as

orphans. These groups must be empowered through capacity building to be part of the

peacebuilding process including but not limited to economic, political, social, and development

processes initiatives.

2. Rule of law:

Conflicts in most cases can be traced to the failure of the rule of law and the violation of basic

human rights, especially in societies when the law has become an instrument of inequality as we

have in most African states. Therefore, to build and sustain peace in a post conflict environment,

issues and cases of violation of human rights must be addressed headlong. Appropriate legal and

judicial development must be provided as the foundation for human security and to provide

appropriate supports the various government institutions.

3. Accountability

Making decisions and taking responsibility for the outcomes of same, it also connotes being

answerable for failures at meeting the expectations of the citizenry or the promises made to them.

In other words, the interest of the people must take the centre stage in decision making. While

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those involved in such decision making must of necessity adhere strictly to both local and

international publicly agreed standards, norms, goals and practices. Citizens on the other hand

must see themselves as stakeholders and must regularly demand accountability from the

government in a civil way especially when there seems to be failure of accountability. Local civil

society organizations are also expected to play a crucial role in ensuring proper accountability from

the government at all levels

Policy design, policy administration and policy implementation must be tailored toward the needs

of the citizenry and at the same time it must be justified. Also reports must be given publicly on a

regular and consistent basis through the media as well as in printed documents which must be

made accessible to all citizens through the internet, universities libraries, public libraries as well

book stores on how resources and allocations of national have been disbursed and used. This will

be sure way to earn the trust and the supports of the citizenry.

4. Equity

These are some of the fundamentals of human security and governance, opportunity should be

given to every citizen to have a say in governance. Participation of citizens in the process should

be encouraged including involvement in informal processes such as local consultation. On the

other hand, to ensure equity, every citizen must not be denied their rights to have equal say in

governance and it processes without discrimination and also benefit from the outcomes of such

processes. Attention must be given to the vulnerable so that they are not left out in any way.

5. Responsiveness

This involves government at all levels listening actively to the yearnings, criticisms, needs and

responses of the citizenry and acting on them in ways that the citizens can benefit and feel a sense

of participation in governance.

6. Human Rights

Government institutions including law enforcement agencies and the judiciary must endeavour to

guarantee the full protection of human rights in accordance with international best practices and

as laid down by the various instruments of the United Nations and other regional organisations

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human rights frameworks. This should become a major focus of human security in African states.

The vulnerable should be protected and their fundamental rights ensured19.

7. Transparency

Transparency gives citizens an insight into the workings of government and governance

institutions. In other words, information is freely made available for all citizens both to seek and

to share freely. Government financial transactions, bids and award of contracts are all made open

and accessible to and by all citizens; public financial statements are also made open including

budgetary reviews.

Human Security Elements

i) Development and strengthening of democratic institutions

ii) Establishment of viable economic environment

Fragile and unstable economic environments are known to frustrate peacebuilding processes,

development and stability therefore every efforts must be made to establish an economically viable

environment where businesses can thrive especially the SMEs. Efforts must centre on tackling

immediate basic economic needs to be followed by developing economic environment with short-

term., medium-term and long-term economic development goals. Also, economic embargos by

developed economies, regional bodies and international financial institutions like the International

Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank should be lifted to avoid stagnation and frustration of

economic development efforts.

iii) Human Development

Human security elements such as unemployment especially among youths, degenerated livelihood,

and other causes of social instability must be part of the immediate focus of humandevelopment

process. Therefore, development and aid agencies on the ground must provide or seek immediate

supports from willing nations, international organizations as well as other local and international

                                                            19 Cowan et al, 2001  

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aid agencies for job creation especially for the youths; livelihood improvement through micro-

financing; and infrastructure building or rebuilding assistance.

iv) Establishment or resuscitation of functional educational systems

One of the destructive features of violent conflict is preventing children from going to school

coupled with destruction and burning down of school buildings and facilities, therefore to reduce

illiteracy and make school functional and habitable as well as to restore the educational system,

reconstruction of such facilities becomes inevitable. These will help restore the decline rate of

school enrollment at all levels of education. Educational assistance must be properly planned and

designed to cater for special and inclusive educational needs especially for the demobilized child

soldiers and youths of school age and it should include vocational trainings for those who may

decide to go that route.

For human security to be effective, it must of necessity address the underlying causes of conflict

in taking into account the effect of such causes which are the manifestations. The core issue that

must be addressed as a foundation for effective and result oriented human development however

is need; the need for security and order, good and quality standard of living, needs for identity and

recognition not just of groups but more importantly of individuals, as well as self worth.20

                                                            20 Gareth Evans, Cooperating for Peace: The Global Agenda for the 1990s and Beyond. (Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 1993), p. 39.

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UNDP HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX (2005)

High Human Development

Table .1.

Low Human Developmemt

Table .2 . Source: Human Development Report 2005 published for the United Nations Development Programme

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UNDP HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX TRENDS (2005)

High Human Development

Table 3

Low Human Development

Source: Human Development Report 2005 published for the United Nations Development Programme Tables 1, 2, 3, &4 above show the disparity in human development and human development index

between the selected Western and the Africa nations who are the topmost and at the lowest part of

the human development table respectively as at 2005. Unfortunately the trend still remains as at

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2013 only with a little difference as shown in the tables below where African nations maintain the

statosquo.

UNDP HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX (2013)

SOCIAL INTEGRATION

High Human Development

Low Human Developmemt

Source: Human Development Report 2013 Published for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

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COMPARISON OF SELECTED 5 POOREST AND RICHEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD

5 poorest countries in Africa and in the world

1. Sierra Leone > GCI score (1-7): 3.10 > GDP per capita: $1,637 (13th lowest) > Debt as a pct. of GDP: 32.6% (44th lowest) > Pct. of residents using Internet: 1.7% (5th lowest) > Biggest problem in doing business: Access to financing

2. Burundi

> GCI score (1-7): 3.09 > GDP per capita: $665 (2nd lowest) > Debt as a pct. of GDP: 31.7% (40th lowest) > Pct. of residents using Internet: 1.3% (3rd lowest) > Biggest problem in doing business: Corruption

3. Angola > GCI score (1-7): 3.04 > GDP per capita: $6,638 (45th lowest) > Debt as a pct. of GDP: 26.6% (29th lowest) > Pct. of residents using Internet: 19.1% (41st lowest) > Biggest problem in doing business: Access to financing

4. Chad > GCI score (1-7): 2.84 > GDP per capita: $2,786 (27th lowest) > Debt as a pct. of GDP: 30.2% (36th lowest) > Pct. of residents using Internet: 2.3% (9th lowest) > Biggest problem in doing business: Access to financing

5. Guinea > GCI score (1-7): 2.79 > GDP per capita: $1,178 (5th lowest) > Debt as a pct. of GDP: 37.8% (57th lowest) > Pct. of residents using Internet: 1.6% (4th lowest) > Biggest problem in doing business: Access to financing.

5 richest countries in the West and in the world

1. Switzerland > GCI score (1-7): 5.704 > GDP per capita: $47,303.25 (7th highest) > Debt as a pct. of GDP: 49.4% (60th highest) > Pct. of residents using Internet: 86.7% (11th highest) > Biggest problem in doing business: Inadequately educated workforce

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2. United States

> GCI score (1-7): 5.544

> GDP per capita: $54,609.47 (6th highest)

> Debt as a pct. of GDP: 104.5% (10th highest)

> Pct. of residents using Internet: 84.2% (16th highest)

> Biggest problem in doing business: Tax rates

3. Finland

> GCI score (1-7): 5.501

> GDP per capita: $36,700.27 (21st highest)

> Debt as a pct. of GDP: 57.0% (49th highest)

> Pct. of residents using Internet: 91.5% (7th highest)

> Biggest problem in doing business: Tax rates

4. Netherlands > GCI score (1-7): 5.454 > GDP per capita: $42,143.25 (13th highest) > Debt as a pct. of GDP: 74.9% (27th highest) > Pct. of residents using Internet: 93.9% (5th highest) > Biggest problem in doing business: Restrictive labor regulations

5. United Kingdom > GCI score (1-7): 5.415 > GDP per capita: $38,309.85 (19th highest) > Debt as a pct. of GDP: 90.1% (18th highest) > Pct. of residents using Internet: 89.8% (9th highest) > Biggest problem in doing business: Access to financing Source: http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/09/06/the-best-economies-in-the-world By Alexander E.M. Hess, Vince Calio and Thomas C. Frohlich May 20, 2014 3:56 pm EDT. Accessed on 14th September, 2014

All of the above poor countries and indeed many more in Africa are either in the middle of a an

internal conflict or just ended one as shown in the image below. While interstate conflicts appear

to be on the decline since the early 1990s, the number of intrastate conflicts has increased since

the mid-20th century most of which are in Africa. The majority of security threats in the world today

from insurgencies, terrorism and other civil conflicts and most of them occur in Africa where people have

become disenchanted because of threats such as hunger, disease, crime, unemployment, poverty, lack of

food, lack of access to good health care, human rights violations, inequalities and environmental challenges.

Although these conflicts differ in intensity across the world, human security remains a universal quest for

freedom from want and fear.

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Hot Spots of Conflict and its Nature in Africa

Figure 3. Hot Spots of Conflict and its Nature in AFRICA. Source: http://www.systemicpeace.org/warlist.htm CONCLUSION

African nations seem to be putting the cart before the horse. Currently, Nigeria is planning to spend

a whooping 1 billion dollars on the procurement of military equipment to prosecute the Boko

Haram Insurgency. African leaders must understand that perspectives and priority on security need

to shift from a misplaced emphasis on military strength to wage internal war to a well rounded,

people-centred view, the focus must immediately shift to development and genuine war mush be

waged against corruption, poverty, inequality, unemployment, lack of education, poor sanitation

and everything that undermines the development of their people.

Furthermore, if African is going to experience a lasting peace, its leaders in different countries

across the continent need to pick a cue from the western world where the focus is on human

development and human security, provide jobs for their teeming youths, focus on economic

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development, create an environment that encourages and support small scale businesses21, provide

power (electricity), provide good and qualitative education, fix the justice system, give the people

a voice especially the vulnerable thereby allowing the people to be a part of the governance

processes in such a way that they have a sense of belonging and participation. Where people have

their basic needs met, there will be no reasons for agitation as the case is currently is all over the

continent of Africa. Human security remains the strongest pillar that holds a society; if and when

it collapses all other supporting pillars will collapse with it and conflict will ensue.

                                                            21 “The entrepreneurial spirit is everywhere. It does not have to be imported.Visit the smallest town in the poorest country on market day and you will see the private sector at work.”- Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada and Co-Chair of the UN Commission on the Private Sector and Development’’- UNDP Human Development Report 2005