Dr Dickson Akoh heads the Peace Corps of Nigeria before it was dissolved by an Act of the National Assembly to form the Nigerian Peace Corps. In this interview with EMEKA NZE, the man who prefers to be addressed as the National Commandant of the Corps traces the history as the founder and contends that he will rather absorb Dr Chinedu Nneji of the National Unity and Peace Corps as enjoined by the Act establishing the organisation. Excerpts:
Can you give us a background of Peace Corps of Nigeria?
The history of this organization can be traced back to 1989, when I started the Nigerian Army Cadet Corps in Government College, Garki. Before then, I was in Boys Scout Movement where I rose to become a troop leader. I later enrolled in Red Cross Society where I rose to zonal leader in charge of Otukpo zone. That was when I was in secondary school. I was the pioneer commandant of Nigerian Army Cadet in 1989.
The school even sent me a letter recently reminding and commending me on the corps. it was based on my experience that I went into research on youth unemployment situation in the country and the security implication. It was all these that aided the formation of Nigeria Leadership and Marshal Corp in 1990. It was registered in March 1992. To ascertain this fact, I urge you to check Vanguard Newspaper of May 28 where I was standing with the then Military Administrator of Lagos State, Olagusoye Oyinlola inspecting Guard of Honour on Childrens Day at Police College. Why I am giving this background is because the Commandant of Nigeria Unity and Peace Corps, Chinedu Nneji claimed that he trained me.
Have you ever worked with Nneji?
I have never worked with Nneji. He joined National Unity and Peace Corp on 17th of January 2013. We have the photocopy of the receipt of his registration. Mind you Nneji is not the Commandant General of the Unity Corps. The Commandant General is Prof. Humphrey who founded National Unity and Peace Corps. He is bedridden and critically ill. So, the Deputy to Humphrey who was a lady thought it wise to bring in Nneji to run the organization given the fact that Humphrey was admitted in a US hospital. When the man got well and returned, Nneji refused to hand him over the organisation.
This happened two years ago. We also have a letter were Humphrey wrote to Inspector General of Police, complaining that Nneji has threatened him out of Abuja only to be in control of the organization he sold his land to form. My dossiers are with the relevant security agencies on how I midwife this organization pending the time it metamorphosed into Peace Corps of Nigeria on July 10th, 1999, when democracy came on board. I have Force Headquarters report to that effect.
The fact remains that Nigeria provided one of the most psychological environment where the youth can grow and attain their full potentials, both physical and psychological, but lack the presence of a veritable platform for the youth to be trained, reoriented and achieve their goals and yarning in life, that was the motivating factor that made me form Peace Corps of Nigeria.
My own led Peace Corps is affiliated to Federal Ministry of Youth Development since 2004. It also enjoys membership all Youth Organization in Nigeria which is the National Youth Council of Nigeria. United Nations Economic and Social Council gave us Special Consultative Status since 2012. Last year, shortly after our 18th anniversary which was popularly celebrated and attended by political office holders, the African Union brought a letter granting this organization special consultative status. No youth organization is enjoying this status and none of these statues are accorded to National Unity and Peace Corps.
What of the Peace Corps bill?
On the issue of the bill, our bill was introduced to the House of Representatives by Rt. Hon. Abdullahi Umar Farouk. When National Peace and Unity Corp approached the House to protest, our bill has already passed second reading. It was first introduced in the 7thAssembly, but the then Senate President, Sen. David Mark frustrated it given the fact that we are from the same local government and coming from different political and ideological background as well. In this 8thAssembly, our bill was introduced last year.
It was after eight months our bill was introduced that Nneji group approached them and they said no. Reps said since our bill has passed second reading, they are not going to entertain anything similar. In the senate, our bill passed first reading six months after, but we don’t how our bill was removed when it was slated for second reading. Later we got information that Nneji and his group are also lobbying for their bill to be passed. So, they jointly took our bill in order to bring the two bodies together. I will give you supporting documents which are in our possession after which you can go and meet Nneji for him to defend it.
The Senate asked the committee on Interior after the bill has passed second reading to do a kind of harmonization, but our own was number SB173 while Unity Corps number was SB183. This is reference point to tell what came first. It went further to show that after our bill, there were 10 other bills before theirs. The House of Reps passed our bill and senate jointly passed our bill with theirs. But for them to claim that they are mother body that should absorb us is a complete fallacy. You can see clearly that the documents show that we went to National Assembly as Nigerian Peace Corps. The harmonization done by Senate Committee Chairman on Interior, Sen. Bayero Nafada cleared everything. I will give you his phone number to confirm it.
You should also know that the Senate in their harmonized copy never lifted anything from Unity Corps bill, not even a word. The Senate approved ours which stated thus, “A bill for an act to establish the Nigerian Peace Corps (NPC) to empower, develop and provide gainful employment for the youths, to facilitate peace, volunteerism, community service, neighbourhood watch, nation-building and for other related matters”. All these were lifted from our bill.
However, the Senate called for a meeting and pleaded with us that since we have six departments, that we should not find it difficult to allot three to National Unity and Peace Corps. This is at the Senate level, but you know that Nigeria practises bicameral legislature, meaning that both chambers must approve bill before it will be passed. It was based on ignorance of this that National Unity and Peace Corps is misinforming the public and distorting facts.
Nneji has been going round showing people section 38(a)(i),(ii) in the harmonized senate bill which read thus, “The body known as the Peace Corps of Nigeria (in this section referred to as the “Peace Corps”) existing before the commencement of this Act is dissolved”. Again, (ii) noted that “The body known as the National Unity and Peace Corps (In this section referred to as the “National Unity and Peace Corps”) existing before the commencement of this Act is dissolved”.
But if you go to sub section (g) of the same section 38, there is a caveat which states thus, “That individual(s), group, association, body that have shown or demonstrated interest to be absorbed as members of the Peace Corps other than the Regular and Volunteer Members of the hitherto Dissolved Peace Corps of Nigeria shall be subject to the mandatory statutory four weeks initial training and orientation programme upon the commencement of this Act”.
So, even him that is parading himself as a National Commandant must go for my training before being absorbed. The literally meaning is that they are just acting on ignorance and progressing in error. During the senate hearing on this bill, the committee received 237 written memoranda and numerous oral submissions from government departments, ministries and agencies, traditional institutions, religious bodies, academia, youths, NGOs and other various interest groups and individuals. 219 memoranda received and most of the oral presentations at the hearing supported the establishment of Nigerian Peace Corps. That is my organization, while 14 supported the establishment of National Unity and Peace Corps.
How come the harmonization between Nigerian Peace Corps and National Unity and Peace Corps?
For the sake of clarity, the bill we submitted to National Assembly was on Nigerian Peace Corps and not Peace Corps of Nigeria. They didn’t merge anybody to form Nigerian Peace Corps. We originally went to National Assembly as Nigerian Peace Corps. Even during the harmonization, the House of Reps said the only provision made for them by the senate should be expunged because there was nothing before them like National Unity and Peace Corps. We don’t need to meet them, there is no provision merging them with us. But if they come, we are ready to absorb them on the condition that they will undergo our trainings and be under 45 years as provided by the Act establishing the corps. We can show you their pictures during the public hearing, some of them are older than 45. The organization is meant for people between the ages of 18 and 45 years as prescribed by the law.
