The year 2021 has been an historic year in view of the various happenings within the year. There are various issues that stand out in the year which has been our major talking points and driven our advocacy on this platform within the year. On this edition of the programme, we shall be having a review of those major talking points as we assess the challenges, emerging issues and way forward as the year winds down in 2 days’ time.

Notable among these are issues of insecurity ranging from farmer – herder attacks, communal clashes, increased kidnappings, banditry, insurgency. Other major talking points are the issues of the increasing cost of commodity, new variant of the Covid19 Pandemic, Good governance, state of our policing one year after the #EndSARS protests,

The various regions of the country have had its fair share of insecurity in the year 2021. This is with its attendant negative impact on human and capital development with increased polarization of the country across ethnic and regional lines. The education sector has had its fair share of security challenges with increased cases of school kidnappings. This has been the order of the day in northeastern and north western parts of the country.

All these forms bulk of the demand for good governance by citizens who grapple with economic fallout across board. This is coupled with increasing cost of governance or recurrent expenditure and surging depth profile of the country.

All these and many more will form the bases of our discussion today as we review major talking points within the year. Which of these issue(s) stands out for you? What are the emerging issues as the year winds down? And what are you grateful to God for this year?