Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo says Nigeria is great because of the diversity of its people, declaring that little countries all over the world are not stronger because they are small.
Professor Osinbajo stated this when he paid a courtesy call on the palace of His Royal Majesty, Dr. Emmanuel Efeizomor II, the Obi of Owa Kingdom, Ika North East Local Government Area, Delta State.
Accompanied by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and other political leaders from the state, the Vice President, urged leaders in Nigeria to caution those championing separatist agitations and make them understand that the country’s unity cannot be compromised.
He said: “One of the things that we must continue to repeat is the fact that this nation is great because of its people, the diverse people of this country from everywhere, from the North, the South, the South-east, everywhere.
“It is because of these people; because of their greatness; because of their innovations, their diversity and strength of their culture, their values, that we have a great country. And so, everywhere we go we must re-emphasise that our country is great because it is a country of such diverse people, of such diverse talents, of such diverse values.
“So, when sometimes we hear of those who are agitating and advocating that the country should break into little parts, we must caution them and let them understand that little countries all over the world are not stronger because they are small.”
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Professor Osinbajo said; “As a matter of fact, the smallest countries in our parts have experienced the greatest conflicts in the past two decades.
“We know about Liberia; we know about Sierra Leone. These are very small countries. As a matter of fact, if you look at the GDP of Sierra Leone or Liberia, there are at least 10 states in Nigeria that have bigger GDPs than Sierra Leone or Liberia. Yet, they had long running conflicts.
“So, I think it is important for our people to understand that the unity of this country should never be compromised because it is the source of our greatness. It is why we have been able to get to the point where we are today. “
Basis for unity
Professor Osinbajo stated that there was need to establish fairness, justice and equity in dealing with all parts of the country as the basis for Nigeria’s unity and foundation.
“That is what we must all strive to achieve and it is achievable,” he emphasized, adding that the effort towards Nigeria’s unity is a journey not an event.
“A journey to a fuller, a more fair, a more just union, is one that we must continue to pursue day by day and it is a journey that will go on for a long time,” he said.
Collaboration exemplary
The Vice President informed the Obi Efeizomor (Monarch) that he was in Owa Kingdom for the inauguration of the Federal Road Safety Corps Marshall Inspectorate Training Centre located in his domain.
According to him, the institute which was built by the Delta State Government, is an exemplar of the cooperation between the Nigerian and State governments.
“I also want to say that the development of this country will depend a great deal on this type of cooperation.
“This country is a country of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Each of those states, regardless of the party in power, is a component of federation and the greater the cooperation, the greater the chances that we will have a country that we all dream about,” Professor Osinbajo explained.
The Obi of Owa Kingdom (Monarch), Dr. Efeizomor II, who is also the Chairman of the Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers, noted that the relationship between Vice President Osinbajo, the Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and indeed the Nigerian government transcends party lines.
He described this as ‘politics of civilization, politics of progression and politics of conviviality.’
Going back in history, the Monarch, who was a member of the Western Nigeria House of Chiefs in 1962, listed other leaders of Nigeria that previously visited his kingdom, including the late General Murtala Muhammed, the late Dr. Alex Ekwueme, and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Obi Efeizomor presented the traditional attire of the Owa Kingdom and an elephant tusk in appreciation of his visit.
VON