Dickson: Neglecting Education Fuels Nigeria’s Insecurity

Senator Henry Seriake Dickson has linked Nigeria’s deepening insecurity to decades of poor investment in education.

 Speaking at the inaugural public lecture of the Forum of Nigeria Polytechnics Alumni Associations (FONPAA) in Abuja, the former Governor of Bayelsa State said the rise in militancy, banditry, and youth crime stems from widespread educational neglect.

Dickson, who governed Bayelsa from 2012 to 2020, recalled declaring a state of emergency in education on his first day in office.

 He introduced free and compulsory education, built 13 model boarding schools, including the Ijaw National Academy and established institutions like the University of Africa and Bayelsa Medical University.

He also established the Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund, which is sustained by levies on public servants and a percentage of the state’s internally generated revenue, to ensure long-term funding for education.

Dickson argued that while infrastructure like roads and bridges are visible, they do not address the root causes of insecurity.

 “The real measure of leadership is what you do in education,” he said.

 “When you trace it correctly, the root cause of our insecurity is the lack of adequate investment in education.”

He stated that his administration’s educational reforms resulted in a significant decline in militancy and cultism in Bayelsa.

 The state, once ranked low in national exams, now ranks among the top five in Nigeria.

The senator urged all levels of government to prioritise education, warning that without it, efforts to combat insecurity will remain ineffective.

“If we do not equip our people with knowledge and skills, we are excluding them from the future,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage Muhammad I, recalled the high quality of public education in his youth and lamented the decline in standards.

He called for a return to policies that empower traditional institutions to support education.

Dickson concluded by challenging elected officials to fulfil their constitutional duty to promote education as a democratic right.

 “If you are not there to expand the frontiers of education and enable your people to realise their potential, then what are you there for?” he asked.