Imbalanced development that involves
horizontal inequalities is an important source of conflict that is costing
Nigeria the opportunity to be the giant nation in Africa that it should be, a
former President of Ghana, Mr John Kuffour, has said.
Kuffour said this in a lecture
entitled “Nigeria: Security, Development and National Transformation,” which he
delivered yesterday in Abuja to mark Nigeria’s 52nd Independence Anniversary.
He said history, tribe and religion
are major stumbling blocks to the country’s growth and development, adding that
the trio conspired to put a major stumbling block in the path of its destiny.
Kuffour called on Nigerians not to
relent in helping the country out of the “unflattering perception of disunity
and parochialism,” stressing that a national identity based on shared values,
tradition, history and aspirations should be cultivated.
He said in spite of their diversity,
Nigerians as individuals were proud, intelligent, and industrious people, and
urged them to support the country’s leadership to enable Nigeria overcome its
challenges.
He also appealed to Nigerians to
develop a high national consciousness where they consider themselves first as
Nigerians before anything else.
Mr Kuffour also called on those in
position of leadership to always share in the vision of one nation and one
people, saying only a government that delivers on security and development
could earn its continued stay in office.
He said: “The challenge is to
accelerate the pace of development by using institutions of the federal
constitution as a nursery ground for producing leaders who are national in
outlook and with a missionary zeal to transform this nation.
“This will help to mould the
contending ethnic and religious groups into harmony and help to remove the
perceived mutual distrust among them. Leaders so emerging would not be limited
to championing the causes of their home state, tribe or religious group, but
rather focused on deeds and pronouncements which convincingly and positively
impact on the entire citizenry of the federal republic.
“Nation building is the systematic
evolution of the political, economic, social and cultural well-being of all the
various component parts of the state. Indeed, the transcendent factor should be
the common citizenship of all the stakeholders no matter the tribe, gender,
religion, economic or social status as your constitution stipulates.”
He, therefore, said that the
political leadership must collaborate with businesses, public organisations and
institutions to ensure that public security is guaranteed to maintain a stable
environment for development of both the people and the state.
“If there is no security, there is no
liberty and if there is no liberty, life is not meaningful and society reverts
back to the law of the jungle – the survival of the fittest and man’s primary
objective of forming a state is defeated,” he said.
In his contribution, a university
don, Dr Jibrin Ibrahim, advised those in leadership positions to always listen
to suggestions from the ordinary people to guarantee peace and transformation
of the society.
He said the crises of insurgency,
indigeneship, access and control over petroleum were deep and serious, but that
the country has the resilience to subdue them.
“Presidents don’t transform a society
except the people play a major role in the transformative process. Nigerian
leaders play a minimal role in transformation,” he said.
One of the discussants, Professor
Ihedu Ivwerebo, said the challenge facing the country was “leadership
infidelity”, adding that the country has been attempting to enshrine a
democratic system which is a culture.
“The elites are unfaithful to Nigeria
that made them. They go out and speak evil of the country,” he said.
Speaking at the event, Secretary to
the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, said the lecture
marked another critical milestone, adding that deeper knowledge of national
issues would offer solutions to national problems.
The lecture was attended by President
Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, members of the Federal
Executive Council and top government functionaries.
Credit: Blueprint
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