Senate President Ahmad Lawan, governor of Rivers State, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, and other prominent Nigerians have stressed the imperative of unity in Nigeria.
The leaders stated this in Abuja yesterday, during the public presentation of the book titled, “Foundation of Nigeria’s Unity,” written by a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, Prof. Sandy Onor.
The book gave an insight into Sandy’s leadership ideologies with regards to national development and unity, in addition to the Cross River parliamentarian’s life history and achievements at the Senate amongst others.
At the event, Lawan, who was the special guest of honour, said leaders should take up responsibility by looking into issues when citizens laid complaints since they’re the only ones to attend to the needs of the citizens.
He said, “Our fathers were a diverse group of people but they decided to come together. The challenge is now ours, the leaders of Nigeria to ensure unity. When leaders lead well ethnicity will not matter, religion will not matter, what matters will be unity and is doable.
“Therefore, I feel we are challenged. This book is telling us that we have to go back to our roots. The rest of us are supposed to work assiduously and make Nigeria a country where we want to be.”
On his part, the book presenter, Wike, stressed the need for equity and fairness, both at federal and state levels in achieving the desired unity.
Wike who was represented by the attorney-general and commissioner for Justice of Rivers State, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, said Nigeria needed to go back to the fundamental principles of her federal arrangement.
“Until we begin to rate the Nigerian states on the basis of equity and fairness we can never achieve our dream. As a state we are committed to the unity of this country by ensuring fairness, equity and justice,” he added.
Also, the chairman of the occasion and former Senate president Bukola Saraki and former governor of Kwara State, said Nigeria should use her diversity as a blessing.
Represented by the former governor of Kwara state, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, Saraki said for the country to move forward as a country, unity is very critical in achieving the target.
He said, “I know that there’s hope. Nigeria is designed to be great because we have determined youths and our women are strong and we are prepared to forge ahead for a great Nigeria.
“We must recognise that for us to move on as a country the unity of this country is very critical. We must recognise our differences and should not allow individual desire to override our collective desires.
“We must be willing to sacrifice for us to get to where we want to be, a strong Nigeria. It is doable and we will do it. We believe that in Nigeria we only happen when we do the right thing and this is the time to do the right thing and we need to use our PVCs judiciously to arrive at the Nigeria we want,” he added.
