NATION BUILDING AND SECURITY ENHANCEMENT IN POST COVID-19 ERA, A SOCIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS

Education strongly and significantly correlates with nation-building and security enhancement. That is to say. A nation cannot be built without quality education. Nation are built by men. In order to build a nation on the firm moral foundation, the people who build the nations must themselves be men of sterling qualities and integrity. This is the task of education. The main thrust of this paper is to x-ray nation-building and security enhancement in post covid-19 era. It examines the multi-dimensional roles of education in nation-building and enhancing security like improving the standard of living of the populace, liberation of man from endemic poverty, problems confronting nation-building and security enhancement such as historical legacies, leadership, corruption, mismanagement, insecurity, poverty and illiteracy were extensively thrashed, also the causes of security challenges in the country are identified. The way forward was proffered and conclusion made as education and nation-building and security enhancement complement each other for a better society.


INTRODUCTION
The development of any modern society or nation is primarily dependent on the functionality of its educational system practices.There is no developed nation in the world today, which does not owe its advancement to quality and qualitative education.The era in which the wealth of nation is measured by how much of national resources like columbite, gold, diamond, silver, crude oil and so on are gone.
Man is considered the Centre and agent of his own development in consequence, his all-round education development is a crucial factor of any process amid at nation-building and security enhancement.The government has stated in the past that for the benefit of all citizens, the country's educational goals shall be clearly set out in terms of their relevance to the needs of the individual and those of the society in accordance to the reality of our environment and the modern world.
It is a known fact that, Nigerians are, on daily basis being traumatized by ritual killings, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping and of course the most recent are Bandit, Herdsmen and Bokoharam attack, in the country from the North to the South, East to West and indeed all the six (6) geo-political Zone in the country, Federal Capital territory inclusive.These societal abnormalities are perpetrated by illiterates that are brainwashed and unemployed graduate.These groups of miscreants have turned Nigeria to a field of blood.With the alarming rate of insecurity in the country.The family, traditional rulers, religious leaders, security agencies and indeed government, having a large chunk of the blame must come together to condemn and fight this to the end and enhance security in the post Covis-19 era.The roles of education in nation-building and security enhancement in post covid-19.Education in any society played a multidimensional role to improve the standard of living populace and liberate the citizenry from the scourges of poverty, ignorance and disease.It is empowerment tool that equips individuals with relevant skills to compete for survival and make indelible mark in the society.Thus National policy on education (2004) stated categorically that education is the process that help to develop the total man, both physically, mentally, morally, politically, socially and technologically to enable an individual function effectively and efficiently in any environment.The fundamental value of education extends beyond individuals; it is also for the good of the nation.Thus, if anyone thinks he/she is educated, the cardinal question should be, "in what way can you contribute to the development of your country, education is far beyond the mere acquisition of knowledge and certification.Any knowledge without a moral and ethical backup in absolutely irrelevant.An educated person is a passionate scholar who has acquired the necessary and relevant skills with the rational mindset to better his/her society.According to Nelson Mandela, "education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world".It takes the efforts of the educated citizens to provide adequate and competent man power for national development, create an enlightened society promote social and group relationship, increase democratic participation, promote the culture of productivity, improve human values and engage in constructive criticism.Be that as it may, it is obvious that role of education in national development can never be over emphasized.Education strongly and significantly correlated with nation-building.That into say a nation cannot be built without quality education.In sociological perspective, functionalist theory holds the view that the society is a system with different parts and that whatever affect any part of the education affect whole system.In other worlds, education is one force that unifies the different parts of the society.It is recognized as the fulcrum for national integration and cohesion.Education is the pathway to any nation building enterprises and it provides the following in the process of actualizing national development and security enhancement in the post Covid 19.These include: 1.
Tolerance and acceptance of individual differences can be enhance when people are educated.Unification is imperative to nationbuilding and security enhancement because once people together they can form a common front that can speed up development in all ramifications.2.
Development of human capital resources, because education produced the best human resources that are complete enough to carry on the day-to-day activities of the nation.In this context, educated men and women take responsibilities and occupy sensitive positions in the society as a result of their qualification.

3.
It enlightened society, this is prerequisite to nation-building and security enhancement because the more people are enlightened, the more they may refrain from doing practices that will endanger the nation-building, effort or process, activities like ritual killing, armed robbery, kidnapping, raping, suicide bombing, bandit, herdsmen, boko-haram attack and so on, are on the increase in Nigeria and in alarming state.

4.
It triggers off democratic participation in the art of governance: National-building and security enhancement requires a democratic society that allow the contribution of both the rich and poor, involvement of all sundry in the task of nation-building and security enhancement in the post Covid 19 era initiatives can be promoted through education.Expertise that are needed to nation-building and security enhancement are provided by the educational system of any society as educated

NDOME LINDA ESSE, ONAH PETER OGBAJI AND EKWOK MERCY LAWRENCE
society is always a strong sustainable and reliable society, because it develops in the citizens the valuable traits that make them useful to themselves, and the entire society in which they belong.(Ajayi, 2003).Consequently, education according to Alemika (2015) view education as all the activities which go on in the schools, Colleges or Universities.These activities are aimed at imparting desirable knowledge or ideas or concepts or skills to the learners so that they might become useful to themselves and the society.That is, education in any society is expected to assist its members inculcate important skills, value, attitudes, beliefs and knowledge so as to become functional in the society.Well-trained and equipped individuals will no doubt have peace of mind and will be able to contribute in achieving national unity.This is in line with the National policy on Education ( 2004) which stated that education is expected to achieve peace in an individual through: i.
The inculcation of national consciousness and national unity.ii.
Inculcation of the type of value and attitude for the survival of individual and Nigeria society. iii.
The training of the mind in understanding of the world around and the acquisition of appropriates skill and the development of mental, physical and social abilities and competencies, that equipped individual to live and contribute to the development of the society.Hence, education has therefore become imperative to achieving a sustainable nation-building and enhancing security.

Problems of nation building and security enhancement in Nigeria
To start with, problems of nation-building in Nigeria stems from historical legacies of colonial dominations.The colonialist partitioned and amalgamated the country in 1914 for their administrative system (indirect rule system).Direct rule system for both northern southern parts of the country coupled with different Land Tenure systems, educational system and judicial systems were the genesis of problems of nationbuilding in Nigeria.The problem of regionalism was not successfully tackled by the founding fathers of our country.Undermining our efforts at nation-building specifically the issue of conflicts have been a source of domestic tension which undermine our efforts at creating a common nation hood.

(a)
Political and leadership problems Akintokunbo in Achebe (2010) asserts that the trouble with Nigeria is the failure of leadership.Leadership is a critical factor in nation-building.The performance of our leader's over the years has left much to be desired.We do not need leaders who see themselves as champions.We do not need leaders who do not understand the economic and political problems of the country, not to talk of finding durable solutions.We do not need leaders who would continue to create educational imbalance in the country, we do not need leaders who do the opposite of what he preaches, we do not need leaders who does not care for the security and economic growth of it citizen, we do not need leaders who is autocratic in nature, we do not need leaders who place themselves above the constitution and laws of the country, but leaders who lead with integrity, by up-holding and respecting the law.To succeed in the task of nation-building, we must have a leadership that is committed to the rule of law and has a demonstrable sense of fair play and democratic tolerance, a leadership with ability and integrity, leaders who have a vision for a new Nigeria.Therefore, all hands must be on deck to struggle for quality leadership which is the key to nationbuilding and security enhancement.

(b)
Problems of corruption and mismanagement of Natural resources Kalu (2011).Opine that corruption is the chief culprit in the fight against insecurity, our country Nigeria is blessed with abundant natural resources, arable land, mineral resources (oil) and robust population.Income generated from crude oil are not properly utilized for the benefit of the citizenry but are stashed into individual account within and outside the country, projects are abandoned in almost all the state and local government areas in the country.Onah et. al (2021).Income budgeted for projects are not judiciously used for the purposes it is intended for and majority of the populace are wallowing in poverty in the midst of plenty.Lopsidedness in development breeds discontentment and mistrust as each region will be suspicious of another which negatively affect nation-building and security enhancement.

Problems of poverty and illiteracy
Poverty and illiteracy are the bane of nationbuilding.Education makes it easy for the people to be led but difficult to control while poverty makes it practically impossible for people to make end meet and live a decent life.Infect, it makes people vulnerable to all sorts of undesirable behaviours.Cheating, robbery, stealing and rioting.Economically discontented people are easily manipulated to cause trouble and make peaceful co-existence elusive.Thereby truncating the process of nation-building and enhancing security.

CAUSES OF SECURITY CHALLENGES IN POST COVID-19 ERA
There are numerous factors aiding security challenges in Nigeria among them are: (a) Porous nature of Nigerian borders One of the major causes of violence and several attacks by gun men in Nigeria, is the porous nature of the nation's borders.This has led to mass infiltration of Niger, Cameroonians and Chadians, these illegal migrate without resident permits or proper documentation are being used to cause mayhem in the country.According to Olukolade (2014), most of the suspects arrested in connection with the Nyanya bombing were foreigners who have no real business being where they were found.Alongside this, is the illegal proliferation of arms and ammunition such as rocket propelled grenades, Ak47 riffles and even locally manufactured guns of assorted types.When this arms enter into the hand of miscreants, they use it for nothing order than the destruction of lives and property.

(b)
Unemployment: The educational system in the country is one that produces white collar job, while in actual facts, the job is nowhere.Hence Obagie (2013) posited that "we are also a nation that provides a fertile ground for criminals and crimes to fester.Through wicked and insensitive policies, we turn out graduates yearly in all disciplines and provide them with no jobs.Due to frustration, depression and hunger, these unemployed graduates are recruited by political big-wigs as touts to maim and assassinate their political opponents or conscripted into one terrorist group or the others.

(c)
Meagre salaries/wages: Where jobs exist, slave wages are paid.Many found other outlet to augment their salaries.

(d)
Corruption: Corruption is a major factor breeding violence and youth restiveness.Kalu (2011), opined that corruption is the chief culprit in the fight against insecurity.It has always been said that some security agents, work for the criminals.This allegation is very possible going by the continual casualty recorded among the security agents.Examples are the October1, 2010 bombing in Abuja, the bombing of headquarters, the Nasarawa.killing of over fifty police personal in 2013, etc.

(e)
Availability of hard drugs: Youths are exposed to hard drugs such as Marijuana, Cocaine, heroin and also sniffed other substances, where those drugs are not available, they lay their hands on other solutions to abuse it, this makes them act like animals and human life becomes valueless to them.

(f)
Religious intolerance/fanaticism: the inability of government over the year to caution and curtail the excesses of religious fanatics and the growing cases of religious violence is a contributing factor to the present state of insecurity in the country.

(g)
The twin brother of religious intolerance is ethnicity and this has manifested its ugly face in different dimensions such as favoritism, mediocrity and the assumption that it must be a person from one's ethnic group that must be in position of power and leadership in other to be supported.It was based on this that the then president of the Federation Dr. Jonathan (2013), cautioned that religious and ethnic intolerance among Nigerians will divide the country if care is not taken.

(h)
Incessant strikes: Over the years from the primary to the tertiary levels of education, due to the non-payment of teachers' salaries or the peanut that are given to them, teachers have persistently agitated for increment in salary.Thus Nwosu (2013) opined that the academic staff union of Universities (ASUU) should device other means of achieving their demand and not strike and counter strike, as this is now causing more harm than good to the students and the society at large.

(i)
Over population: It is a known fact that crime grows at a proportionate rate with population.The inability to provide basic social amenities, measurable employment opportunities with adequate pay to meet up with cost of living have force people to put their hands into obnoxious activities in order to make ends meet.

NDOME LINDA ESSE, ONAH PETER OGBAJI AND EKWOK MERCY LAWRENCE (j)
Acemoglu and Robinson (2012), posited that to succeed and prosper as a nation, citizens needs inclusive institutions which create virtuous circle of innovation, economic expansion and more widely held wealth which without, such a nation will be declared a failed state.

Way forward 1.
Equality of educational opportunity for both sex (boys and girls) should be the priority of the government.The Universal basic education and the recent introduced Almajiri education should be granted full legislatives and legal rights to function, teacher training and competence, should be encouraged, the need to diversity, the need to relate education closely to the child environment, the desirability for appropriate text books and other instrumental material for competence in vocational and technical skills.Educational management and supervision.Nation-building through quality in education ca be achieved by realistic planning, administration and supervision.

2.
Collaboration: Security is a collective responsibility, it is not an exclusive preserve of any particular organization, group or agency.To reduce the security challenges to the barest minimum, there should be collaboration of all and sundry.The security agents, religious and traditional leaders and the general public.Everyone must be eye and month of the nation.

3.
Government at all levels in the country should wage a decisions "war against corruption" if unemployment rate is to come down.To curb corruption in Nigeria, the principle of subsidiarity should be duly implemented in all sectors of the society.

4.
Traditional rulers with their chiefs in council should be on alert to know and account for whatever that is happening 5.
There should be synergy between and among all the security agency, Military, police, para-military, the joint task force, etc. their slogan should be "United we stand divided we fall".6.
A comprehensive life insurance policy should be carried out to cover all our initiatory and paramilitary personal.This is to cover the training and upbringing of their family in the case of any eventuality.7.
Our institution should be adequately quipped with the necessary material to a level that Nigeria will be able to provide the industries with the required man power.

8.
The industrial training, fund (ITF) should be on ground in all technical college of education (vocational and technical) and Universities to further train the graduate that were so to say trained theoretically because of non-existence or obsolete equipment in such area.9.
Our borders should be closed down only foreigners with genuine papers and resident permit should be allowed into the country.10.
Religious leaders should be bold in preaching against all the vices happening in the society especially all the security challenges.Religious leaders should also plead with their members to eschew violence as it is antithetical to development.

CONCLUSION
The main thrust of this paper is that beginning from the top, the Federal, State and Local Government including Nigerians politicians and all citizens should be member of integrity practiced fairness and integrate.The Federal Government should provide social amenities, agriculture and enhance the quality of education in our schools.This will help to ameliorate the alarming rate of insecurity in our country.These indices are central to the economics development of any nation, with our nation will be built on a solid foundation and also enhance security in post covid-19era.

REFERENCE
Acemoglu, Daron and James A.Robinson, 2012.Why Nations fail: The origins of power, prosperity and poverty.(1 st Edition) New York: Crown, 529 Akintokumbo, A., 2011.The problem and challenges of insecurity in Nigeria.Retrieved from community: vanguardngr.com/profiles/blog/theproblems-andchanges-of-insecurty-innigeriaAJAJI, T., 2003.Education and globalization challenges for institutional administration in Nigeria.A paper presented at the University of Ibadan public lecture.