Veteran journalist, author, administrator and politician, Chief Sam Nkire was among the graduands who bagged the Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution at the convocation ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria, weekend.
Chief Nkire who is also a member of the National Caucus of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, told journalists that he was actually encouraged to enrol for the course by former President Olusesegun Obasanjo during a visit to Abeokuta, late January 2016.
The APC chieftain whose thesis was on the age-long communal crises between the Tivs and the Jukuns in Taraba State, also urged other political leaders to seek further studies, as according to him, “there is no age limit to both knowledge and leadership training”.
Chief Nkire said there was no doubt that the course had placed him in a better position to offer informed advice on peace building or conflict resolution in areas ravaged by insecurity due to insurgency, herder/farmer crises or even religious disputes.
The former National Chairman of the Progressive People’s Alliance PPA and author of “The Nigerian Story”, however acknowledged that there was urgent need to stem public anger in many zones in the country, in order to prevent future conflicts.
It would be recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, 80, graduated with a PhD in Chritian Theology at the same graduation ceremony.
