Literature Should BeIntegrated Into Nigeria’s National Security Strategy – Adedimeji 

The Vice-Chancellor of the African School of Economics, Professor Mahfouz Adedimeji, has called on the Federal Government to integrate literature and the humanities into Nigeria’s national security and peacebuilding strategies.

Delivering the keynote address at the 45th International Convention of the Association of Nigerian Authors in Abuja, Adedimeji argued that insecurity cannot be tackled through military force alone, stressing that issues such as injustice, poverty, exclusion and social division also fuel instability.

He said literature could help identify the underlying causes of conflict, promote empathy and strengthen national cohesion by encouraging Nigerians to understand different cultural and social experiences.

The professor also urged government to invest in reading culture, public libraries, publishing and the creative industry, while strengthening support for Nigerian writers and protecting intellectual property.

He further called for better collaboration between universities, security institutions and the creative sector, noting that literature and cultural diplomacy could strengthen Nigeria’s global influence.

Adedimeji maintained that good governance remains central to national security, warning that persistent corruption, unemployment, poverty and institutional failure cannot be addressed through literary interventions alone.