Obasanjo Tackles IPOB, Yoruba Nation Agitators, Says Secession Move Almost Idiotic
- Former President Obasanjo has spoken of the need for Nigeria to remain as a united nation rather than disintegrate
- Nevertheless, the respected elder statesman said ensuring Nigeria remains united should come at any cost
- Obasanjo said it will be almost idiotic for any to disintegrate amid the call for the reintegration of Africa for the purpose of economic development
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Abeokuta, State - Nigeria's former president Olusegun Obasanjo, says although Nigerians would fare better staying together than breaking up, the nation’s unity should not be at ‘any cost’.
The former president stated this in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, at his investiture as a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyor (NIS) organised by the Ogun chapter of the Body of Fellows of the NIS, Premium Times reported.
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He was quoted as saying:
“I am a strong believer of one Nigeria, but not one Nigeria at any cost, but one Nigeria where every Nigerian can feel proud that he or she has a stake in this country."
Shelve the idea, Obasanjo tells secession agitators
Legit.ng gathers the ex-president called on agitators for the disintegration of the country to shelve the idea and work for the oneness of the country.
He said it is better for Nigeria to remain as one indivisible nation than for each tribe to go its separate way.
Obasanjo who acknowledged that Nigeria is passing through challenges insisted that “disintegration is not the solution”.
He said:
“It is better that Nigeria stays together and find solutions to its challenges than for each tribe to go its separate way.
“I am a strong believer of one Nigeria, but not one Nigeria at any cost, but one Nigeria where every Nigerian can feel proud that he or she has a stake in this country."
Obasanjo noted that Nigeria’s diversity remained a major source of its strength, explained that disintegration would result in “weak republics”.
Secession almost idiotic
Speaking strongly against the secession agitations, the former president also said it is “almost idiotic” to push for Nigeria’s disintegration at a period that Africa gears towards political, social and economic reintegration, Daily Trust reported.
He cited examples of Pakistan, Yugoslavia and Sudan as countries that had broken away but yet to find lasting solutions to their problems.
He said:
“In this age and time that we are talking about the reintegration of Africa for economic development, disintegration of any country will be almost idiotic."
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Obasanjo, others to meet in Abuja
Meanwhile, A group of Nigerian elder statesmen tagged the Interfaith Initiatives for Peace has convened a meeting to discuss “pressing issues” in the country.
The group is jointly led by Obasanjo, Sa’ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto; Abdulsalami Abubakar, former head of state, and John Onaiyekan, former Catholic archbishop of Abuja.
Legit.ng gathers that the meeting is scheduled to hold on Thursday, June 10, at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.
Source: Legit.ng
