The Federal Government has urged the FCT chapter of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), to support government’s security efforts by using its talents to preach peace and unity in the country.

Mrs Nonye Ojekwe, Special Assistant to the President on Political Affairs, in the Office of the Vice President, gave the advice on Saturday night at the PMAN FCT Stakeholders Forum/ Unity Concert and lecture in Abuja.

The theme of the lecture was “The Peace We Desire”.

Ojekwe lauded the PMAN for putting the unity concert together, using its God-given talents to preach peace and  unity in the country.
She expressed hope that the association’s initiative would go a long way to ensure peace and progress of the country.

“I want to sincerely appreciate and congratulate PMAN Abuja for this wonderful initiative (the peace we desired).
“We truly desire to live in peace in this country from East, West, North and South.

“I condemn in strong terms the insecurity, indiscriminate killings and kidnappings that have besieged our dear nation, Nigeria,” the Presidential aide said.
Prof. Bassey Ubom, the Director, Development and Advancement, University of Abuja, said the country needed restructuring and transparency in governance in order to address the problem of insecurity.

“Also, the spirit of singing and dancing is imperative to peace and unity in this country,” he said.
The don, who called for value reorientation among PMAN members, stressed the need for them to change their bad attitude towards one another in order to promote peace and unity among themselves.

Mr Salihu Dantata, the Director, Security, Salute Nigeria Initiative, said adequate funding, training and exchange of strategies must be made by government to ensure internal security.

Dantata said the problem insecurity in some parts of the country must be tackled through synergy and capacity building.

“So far, the security agencies have done their best, but more is expected from them in the area of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians,” he said.

The FCT PMAN Chairman, Mr Dovie Okson, popularly called Baba 2010, said that the PMAN initiative was premised on the fact that many people loved music and movies which was why the association decided to use unity concert to promote peace and unity in the country.

Okson, who expressed concern over insecurity in the country, said the problem also affected the creative industry as night live shows had dropped by 80 per cent.
The Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria is an organisation founded by Christy Essien-Igbokwe and Sunny Okosun in 1984 to guide, protect and promote the interests of musicians in the west African nations.