Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has disagreed with those calling for secession for a section of the country noting that the affinities and friendships across the country are a reminder that unity is possible in Nigeria.
Examining the resurgence of agitation for Biafra, he said no country is perfect as many such as Italy, Spain, UK, France and USA are made up of peoples with diversities, yet the citizens stay together.
Delivering the keynote address at the anniversary conference on the Nigeria-Biafra civil war titled: ‘Memory and nation-building Biafra: 50 years after, a sober reflection,’ in Thursday, Osinbajo said the country is greater together than apart.
On his part, former president Olusegun Obasanjo said from inception Nigeria has not had a national leader.
“The truth is at independence, we had three countries in one. And that problem has never really been solved till today.
“The outcome of that continues to be bugging us as we go along in our development as a nation.”
On his part, the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, John Nnia Nwodo hailed generosity of Nigerians for the level of people-to-people reconciliation that transpired immediately after the civil war, as other Nigerians welcomed Igbo survivors back into the fold after the war.
He however decried the official ‘policy of impoverishment’ of the defeated Biafra after the civil war through the 20 pounds bank withdrawals, which disposed Igbo’s of their savings; the indigenization of multi-national companies and political marginalization.
Nwodo called for steps to avoid a repeat of the civil war through equality and fair play, maintaining that “unity is not an end in itself.”
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