The Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL) has called on the Federal Government to adopt humanities-driven approaches to tackling Nigeria’s growing insecurity, warning that over-reliance on military responses without addressing underlying social, cultural and ethical issues will not deliver lasting peace.
The call formed part of the communiqué issued at the end of the academy’s third Biennial Conference held at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, under the theme, “Humanities, National Politics, and Security.”
The communique was made available to The Guardian, on Sunday in Ibadan by Prof. Olasope of University of Ibadan.
The communiqué, signed by the President of the Academy, Prof. Andrew Haruna; the Secretary, Prof. Olakunbi Olasope; Chairman of the National Organising Committee, Prof. Sunday Ododo; and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Prof. A.A. Adeoye, urged policymakers to integrate the humanities into national security and development strategies.
The conference, which attracted scholars, policymakers and stakeholders from across the country, examined the role of the humanities in addressing the nation’s political, security and developmental challenges.
The academy noted that the continued decline in funding and support for humanities programmes in favour of science and technology was undermining balanced national development.
According to the communiqué, scientific and technological advancement without the arts and humanities cannot produce sustainable human development.
“The humanities provide the historical, linguistic, ethical and cultural foundations required to address the complex drivers of insecurity and national instability,” the academy stated.
NAL also argued that Nigeria’s conventional security architecture had become overstretched and ineffective because it relied largely on military responses while neglecting the social and cultural dimensions of conflict.
It warned that extremist groups had exploited digital platforms to spread propaganda and recruit followers, stressing that the government must develop stronger digital counter-narratives rooted in indigenous languages and cultural understanding.
The academy also expressed concern over the socio-economic consequences of insecurity, including widespread school closures, farmer-herder conflicts, rural banditry and declining agricultural productivity, warning that these trends threaten national food security.
It also criticised what it described as the “politics of forgetting,” whereby former insurgents are granted amnesty without adequate justice for victims, saying such practices undermine reconciliation and public confidence.
To address these challenges, the academy recommended the institutionalisation of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) in national development planning, insisting that ethical reasoning and philosophical inquiry must complement scientific innovation.
It also called for the integration of indigenous community-based security structures into formal policing systems to strengthen grassroots security and improve community resilience.
The scholars urged the government to promote leadership anchored on the Yoruba Omoluabi values of integrity, accountability and service, while advocating victim-centred reconciliation and equitable distribution of public resources.
The communiqué also recommended that the government collaborate with the creative industry, particularly Nollywood and digital media practitioners, to combat misinformation, counter violent extremism and promote national cohesion.
The academy maintained that the humanities remain indispensable to nation-building, stressing that sustainable security requires not only military strength but also ethical leadership, cultural understanding and social justice.
