Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has urged Nigerians to avoid any situation that will lead to the disintegration of the nation.
A statement released by Dogara’s media adviser Turaki Hassan Adamu said calls for separation of Nigeria is tantamount to a collective national suicide.
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Dogara made the call in a keynote address at a two-day summit, with theme, “Peace and Development in Nigeria”, organised by Sultan Maccido Institute for Peace and Development Studies of the university of Abuja in Abuja.
He said that the the search for peace must also be a continuous process as peace attracts development while violence does not only repels but destroys already achieved development.
Represented by Rep Herman Hembe, Dogara said Nigerians should not allow themselves to be overwhelmed by divisive interests seeking to cause disaffection across the country, but strive to make visible the promise of a reconciled, crisis free and prosperous Nigeria for all to see.
“It is a pity that many are calling for the disintegration of Nigeria, saying that Nigeria cannot work. Unfortunately, they are emboldened by what they see but the real threats are buried in what they have failed to see.
“For instance, it is doubtful that if Nigeria were to break into pieces, the process will be peaceful. If a disintegration war breaks out now, the Western World had long predicted this and developed tools to secure their interest which is ensuring that the war does not distort their markets.
“There is no need to emphasize that the West have no interest in Nigeria, they are not bothered about our lives or future. As a matter of fact they think our population as it is today is already a liability to them. We may just turn Nigeria into a killing field and another ground for proxy warfare like Syria, Iraq, Yemen”
“Calls for a National divorce is tantamount to adopting a permanent solution to an ephemeral problem. How can the solution to our myriads of problems be a collective national suicide? It baffles me that even smart people think in these terms.
“We must therefore proceed with caution. Yes, our national challenges are great but the promise of Nigeria is greater. As disconcerting as our National challenges are, I dare say that there is nothing happening now that is huge enough to annul the promise of Nigeria.
“That is why we have to strive like there is no tomorrow, to make visible the promise of a reconciled, crisis free and prosperous Nigeria for all to see. This can be achieved in our lifetime if we go to work.
“It s obvious that unless we rise at different levels of leadership to halt the present trajectory, Nigeria will no doubt head for final implosion and eventual extinction. As is it, we don’t have to do anything for this to happen. All we need is not to do anything at all.
“Our hope must be rooted in the story of China, Rwanda, UAE, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, etc, which all prove the point that we can turn our ashes into glory and that nothing is impossible. If we don’t give in or give up, something must give in,” Dogara said
