JOURNALS

ABSTRACT

At no point in the history of the Nigerian nation has multifaceted insecurity been experienced on a massive scale as currently being experienced. It will be a total existential crisis to deny that the Nigerian society is currently plagued in all directions by several forms of 'socio-politico-econo-religious' crisis which had further plunged the scarcely enjoyed peace into abysmal. Currently, the Nigerian nation is beset with an unprecedented level of insecurity with each of the six Geo-political zones having a tremendous share of violence which are incited by perceived political-tribal bigotry, unfavourable national economy, uncontrolled influx of radical religious views amidst many others. Characterized by massive kidnapping, terrorism, banditry, religious crisis, ritual killings and political assassination, the Nigerian insecurity situation had increased the vulnerability of her citizens to loss of lives, livelihood and properties. Considering the peculiarity of multi-faceted, simultaneous and synchronous insecurity in the Nigerian society, this paper critically appraises the socio-philosophical paradox of security in the Nigerian nation and suggests Intentional Humanism, based on the Yoruba indigenous cultural paradigms, as a viable means of combating insecurity. At the center of the Yoruba society's concept of intentional humanism is human mentality, distinguished by intellectual faculties and moral capacity. This is believed to give scales and perspectives to what a society hold as meanings, values and intentions which are common components of conflict-spaces. This paper therefore reinstates the normal sayings that building schools shut prisons, by suggesting thorough indoctrination of every Nigerian with the Yoruba cultural ethics of intentional humanism as a panacea to the ravaging insecurity in the Nation.