Afrigather fifteenth January, a really particular and distinctive day in 2023 because it was 53 years in the past! 40 days from immediately, Nigerians might be voting in an election that many regard as essentially the most essential and existential choice we’ve got to make as a nation, and notably for our kids and youths, given the unhappy state of our pricey nation, Nigeria: alarming insecurity, unemployment, poverty, inflation, debt, starvation, disunity, hopelessness and plenty of different indices of a failing state. It was additionally on fifteenth January, 53 years in the past, a really particular red-letter day for Nigeria that the booming of weapons and different paraphernalia of battle had been formally silenced within the thirty-month civil conflict during which hundreds of thousands of lives had been regrettably misplaced and an unquantifiable variety of properties destroyed!
As we are able to recall, Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo, as he was then identified, led the then Biafran delegation to Normal Gowon to declare that the conflict was over and that the army colleagues from the Biafran facet ought to be deployed. It was said: “To maintain Nigerian one is a job that should be finished” and “No victor, no vanquished”. It’s this job of holding Nigeria one within the spirit of no Victor, no Vanquished that has supplied the platform for the dedication of each psychological and bodily power to the arduous however noble job of constructing one robust, united advert indivisible Nigeria. As such, the overriding job we must always all be dedicated to, as said above, is Securing and Uniting Nigeria for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, notably for our kids and youths.
Whereas we remorse the immense losses from the conflict, pray for the repose of souls of the departed and thank God that it ended, all of us should be a part of fingers with utmost sincerity and dedication to stop any critical violence in Nigeria, not to mention one other civil conflict! By no means once more! This job of Securing and Uniting Nigeria ought to be our solely possibility and all of us can agree that the leaders and other people of various sections of Nigeria have finished admirably properly, notably within the years instantly after the conflict.
Inside lower than ten years after the tip of that civil conflict, a dedicated persona from the defunct Biafra, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, was the Quantity Two Man to a most patriotic, humble servant-leader, Alhaji Shehu Shangri, who was Quantity One. Might their Souls proceed to relaxation in peace! Our pricey Shehu Shagari and Alex Ekwueme -both of blessed recollections – grew to become a robust and veritable expression of the unity and togetherness that engendered a vibrant post-war Nigeria. This democratic leap with its unifying symbolism was wonderful for Nigeria, and I deeply cherish such path of brotherhood and onenesses established by Shagari/Ekwueme and actually consider that it’s this path of inclusiveness and togetherness as one Nigeria we must always observe immediately.
Anybody who nonetheless harbours a special agenda completely different from the belief of a healthful and unifying people-oriented growth imaginative and prescient is doing a horrible disservice to this technology and generations of Nigerians but unborn. I can not consider any legitimate motive, apart from the deficit of sound socio-economic and political insurance policies and programmes that can unite and propel Nigeria ahead. From what I do know of the South-East, the Igbo Nation, led by Ohaneze, has at each alternative been unequivocal about its dedication to the unity, oneness, integrity, and progress of Nigeria, primarily based on fairness, justice, and an inclusive society. And I, Peter Obi, a proud Nigerian of Igbo extraction, I’m most honestly and wholly dedicated to that stand of One United, Safe and Progressive Nigeria!
Learn additionally: For the Nigerian Youth, 2023 is a defining moment
It’s also value calling a spade a spade. There are youths throughout Nigeria who’re annoyed due to injustice, poverty, lack of alternatives, unemployment, and obvious exclusion. Such youths may seize upon and use something challenge or software to specific their frustration and anger. I consider that a few of those that are agitating, are doing so partly attributable to our failures in creating an inclusive and progressive Nigeria. A working Nigeria with fairness, justice and equity will even positively and successfully checkmate such excessive teams like Boko Haram and ISWAP.
I personally consider that the most effective technique for coping with these conditions manifesting within the guise of unclear nationalism, bigoted patriotism and spiritual bigotry is a carrot and stick method. Nation constructing and an Ordered Society are actually crucial. We should wean these that may be weaned by means of the creation of a society the place fairness and justice will prevail, a society the place the fundamental freedoms and requirements of life, equivalent to well being, jobs, abilities, and empowerment are supplied. There should be a nationwide programme for individuals who will settle for the carrot method. For these unwilling to yield to the carrot method, the stick possibility might be totally justified and utilized. We should put order in our society and the place needed, justice might be tempered with mercy.
I consider that numerous agitation teams will cease their agitations after they see a patriotic management imbued with equity, fairness, justice, and a willpower for a really inclusive and progressive society. Each rational human being can change when he sees an excellent motive to take action. Such incentives require the correct method, effort, and time.
It’s also unfair to make use of the misconduct or place of 1 particular person or few individuals in an ethnic group to stigmatize your entire group. It’s a unsuitable method and shouldn’t be so! I’ve repeatedly stated that I’ll sit down and talk about with all agitators, believing that we should proceed to speak and negotiate with all to realize optimistic outcomes.
Right this moment, marks fifty-three years for the reason that civil conflict formally ended. Allow us to settle for that the conflict has actually ended. To attempt to proceed to ‘struggle the civil conflict’ immediately, after fifty-three years, can be an awesome disservice to Nigeria and Nigerians, notably our heroes who diligently laboured to safe and unite us. Let our rallying anthem stay: “Although tribes and tongue might differ, in brotherhood we stand.”
On at the present time fifteenth January 2023, I most sincerely pledge and commit that I’ll spend the remainder of my life ensuring that the civil conflict and the circumstances that led to it don’t re-occur; and to make sure that we construct an all-inclusive and progressive society the place no particular person or group might be estranged, marginalized, or excluded. I stay resolute {that a} New Nigeria that we’re all happy with and patriotically dedicated to is Doable and it’s a job that should be achieved!
Learn additionally: 2023: Nationwide survey tips Obi as Nigeria’s next president
Right this moment, 133 million Nigerians reside in multi-dimensional poverty, 20 million kids are out of faculty, we’ve got close to 40% unemployment, with about 60percentunemployed youths who have no idea the place the subsequent meal will come from; our younger individuals of their productive years are doing nothing, our major healthcare system has collapsed, we’ve got overtaken India in toddler mortality regardless of their being seven occasions our inhabitants.
Our youths’ drug abuse prevalence is the best on the planet. We are actually globally handled like second class residents; with Nigerians being refused entry into nations we had been much better than a number of years in the past. These are issues that ought to concern us immediately; these are issues I need us to return collectively as a household and as an awesome nation to begin reversing, no matter our tribe and faith. That’s the Nigeria for which I want to be the Crew Chief, the place everyone might be included, regardless of the place she or he comes from or what his or her beliefs are.
There are vital junctures advert occasions during which each nation should seize the second to outline or redefine its historical past. For Nigeria that second is now! Right this moment marks fifty-three years of Nigeria’s re-unification after the civil conflict. A brand new Nigeria is feasible; a nation sure in freedom, peace, unity, justice and prosperity is realizable! Allow us to all be a part of fingers in love and brotherhood to construct, with God of our creation guiding our noble trigger!
God bless you all and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
