Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stressed the need for a united Nigeria guided by the principle of fairness and equity where every ethnic group will feel proud.
Obasanjo disclosed this on Wednesday at the luncheon and investitures organised by the Nigerian institution of Surveyors, Ogun State chapter held in his Presidential library in Abeokuta.
He said there is fear and frustration over insecurity,, economy and the polity and said threats of secession resonate around the country.
” Any Nigerian who is human will be apprehensive,If not frustrated with the present situation of the country. We are apprehensive about security situation, apprehensive about economic situation, apprehensive about our political situation and the drum we are hearing is that of disintegration of the country.
” Iam 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.
” No Nigerian is born a slave in this country. No Nigerian is born to be oppressed in this country and those of us that have shared part of our blood and sweat for this country,we did that because we wanted a country that every Nigerian can claim as his or her own.
” One thing that gives us strength is diversity,If all that we have is Republic of Oduduwa for those who said so, their position is understandable. If that is all we have, members of that country will be diminished compared to be a citizen of Nigeria. Citizens of Oduduwa Republic or any other republic from Nigeria will be diminished compared to citizens of Nigeria.
He said in this age and time Africa is focussing on reintegration for economic development, disintegration is foolhardy adding that countries like India, Yugoslavia Sudan who broke away were yet to find solution to their problem.
The former president drew the attention of the agitators of disintegration to the plight of the minorities like the Jukuns and Gbasamas should Nigeria disintegrate saying that the only reason they could raise their heads was because they belong to Nigeria.
He charged the National Institution of Surveyors to come up with a proposal on survey of the country to the federal government noting that the project of surveying the entire country began with his administration but got stuck somewhere unknown.
