A university don, Prof. Osisioma Nwolise, has stressed the need for the country’s quest for security to be extended to the spiritual realm, saying the battle cannot be won if limited to the physical realm.

Nwolise, of the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences of University of Ibadan, made the submission in his inaugural lecture entitled ‘Is physical security alone for the survival, progress and happiness of man?’ delivered recently at the Trenchard Hall of the university.

He enjoined the leadership of the country to, as a matter of urgency, embrace the indigenous knowledge of spiritual instrument to enhance security in the country. In his words, “There is so much anarchy and havoc going on in the spiritual realm of human and national security today that there is every urgent need for governmental and societal attention to be focused on that realm, with a view to saving lives, protect human rights and national values, and to enhance human and national security.

“There is nothing happening in the physical world today that is not happening in the spiritual world – rape, bombing, robbery, kidnapping, hostage taking, food poisoning, ambushing, imprisonment, murder, torture, politics and accidents.”

Nwolise argued that there is an urgent need to establish an academic structure for the teaching, research and study of the spiritual dimension of human and national security. His words: “There is a need to open up studies in mysticism, Nigerian n and African divinities, magic, spiritual healings, death and Strategic Spiritual Intelligence (SSI). We should as well open a new Department of Metaphysical Studies or Department of Spiritual Studies, which will serve as the nucleus for a future Faculty of Spiritual Sciences, because our little efforts so far convinced me that juju can be dissected, studied and understood just as the rabbit.”

He described security as the primary concern of all humans and nations at all times, as it is a pre-requisite for their survival, progress and happiness of humanity.

In his comparison on physical and spiritual security, Nwolise opined that the welfare of human beings is not only in the physical realm as perceived by many leaders but also in the spiritual realm. Quoting the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, he said: “The aim of a leader should be the welfare of the people whom he leads. I have used ‘welfare’ to denote physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of the people.”

Nwolise faulted the stance of scientific posture on nature, arguing that science is being too cowardly, pompous, despotic and arrogant in insisting that whatever it cannot understand, capture, measure, control or predict, does not exist. The don said it is important to understand the spiritual not only because it is superior to the physical but also because it positively reinforces the physical, and can equally endanger it under some certain circumstances.

Prof. Nwolise condemned what he called the miseducation of today’s children and youths as well as the poor funding of the education sector, stressing a need for this to be urgently reversed so as to rescue the country’s future.

•Photo shows Prof. Osisioma Nwolise.