A retired general in the Nigerian Army, Major General Paul Tarfa has described sports as the greatest instrument to combat the ongoing insurgency, kidnapping and other forms of vices in the country.
Speaking at the weekend during the 4th Annual Inter House Sports of the Britarch School Abuja, Tarfa expressed delight at level of harmony amongst participating and non participating children of the school who he observed were from different ethnic backgrounds.
He called on governments at all levels to encourage and enforce sports in all schools.
Tarfa said,”Sports is probably the most effective way to combat what we are going through now (insurgency). You see the harmony amongst the children from a very small age and I can see children from all over Nigeria, I heard names- Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba and every other name around here. It’s very good, this is how a nation is built and they are growing in this harmony and I believe we can only encourage it, enforce it.”
General Tarfa also said the war against terrorism is not a full scale war since it is difficult to identify the terrorists and when they would strike.
He however said all hands must be on deck in the fight against insurgency commending the current government and army for their efforts so far.
“We have government in place, we also have individuals to play their roles, the situation involves all of us. I worked in the army, I don’t work there anymore. I’m very certain we have capable hands in the army. We are not fighting a full scale war, it’s what you call the insurgency, the real warfare .
“We may not know who they are and when they are there, so intelligence has to continue if the government must make any progress. If you suspect anything around you, you have to inform the security agencies for necessary actions.
“Also it is wrong to say the government is not doing enough, it’s trying because it is not a full scale war we are fighting. It is a kind of war we don’t know who they are and when they are to strike. So we have to be patient and do things accordingly”, Tarfa cautioned.
Chairman of the occasion, a former Director General of National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Prof Ahmed Danfulani, said, “This is the greatest instrument of national orientation, national integration and of course it is the greatest chance to use the youths and sports to bring the nation together. These are the ambassadors if tomorrow, no religion, no tribe, just sports and education and we need to work on that.”
Danfulani also expressed hope that Nigeria would remain one despite the feelers of breakaway by some ethnic groups in the country.
“The feelers we are getting from mostly the elders- Nigeria will go this, go that. Nigeria will remain one, strong. Our motto in our centre is, “This house must not fall.” The Nigerian nation must not fall.Those who want the country to remain one we are larger in number. Those who want the country to break are smaller, possibly noisier but many of us are working and in all phase for this country to stand.”