Tinubu roars: Repair Nigeria now for Better or never

That I am a foe of disunity does not mean I have blinded myself to the truth that our nation is in need of great repair

National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has aligned himself with those canvassing for urgent repair of the fabrics of the nation, saying time was no longer on the side of Nigeria.

Tinubu, however, cautioned those agitating for the break-up of the country to tread softly, noting that taking such step “would make us more vulnerable to outside influences.”

The former Lagos State governor spoke yesterday as Principal Guest of Honour/Keynote Speaker at the 2017 Annual Dinner of King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA) at King’s College, Lagos. He was represented by former Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Wale Edun.

Speaking on the topic, ‘A New Nigeria or a Better One: The Fitting Tools of a Great Repair’

’, Tinubu affirmed his belief in Nigeria, noting that it would become a great nation and a leader among other African nations.

He said: “I am a firm believer in Nigeria. I believe this land will become a great nation and a leader among other African nations. We can resolve our dysfunctions in a manner that will make this nation rise as a standard of decency, justice and prosperity for all Nigerians.

So many excellent people have devoted themselves, even given their very lives, to give life to this nation.  I dare not cast aside their hardy and brave work as if it were nothing. Many things we now enjoy and see as good are due to these people. We have benefited from their labour and sacrifice.  Morality and my understanding of our history will not allow me to discard such contributions to our humanity and common welfare.

“Being more pragmatic, separating the nation into small pieces resolves nothing and creates additional problems. The world marches toward integration. Europe, America, Asia seek trade and commercial pacts that will make them more integrated markets. Notwithstanding Brexit, the European Union (EU) grows more integrated in the functions of governance by the day. Thus, while nations more powerful and developed than us seek to pool their wealth and might, some of us seek to whittle this nation into smaller pieces.

Such a thing would make us more vulnerable to outside influences.  We would forfeit our rightful place on the world stage and as a leader of this continent.

Moreover, not every split solves a problem. The political mentality, either good or bad, that defined a group before the split will remain after the divide. If one is imbued with factionalism, that perspective will remain even when the immediate problem is surmounted. Division will manifest differently, but manifest it will.

A new factional bigotry will arise to replace the old. The cycle of tension and unrest will take its inexorable toll. Just ask the people of South Sudan if their woes ended when they left Sudan.

When your heart is geared toward division, you will seek it within a single tribe, even a single family.

“Thus, I oppose talk of break-up and all other exotic political arrangements tantamount to it. That I am a foe of disunity does not mean I have blinded myself to the truth that our nation is in need of great repair.

We all see the nation for what it is. Some look further to see the nation for what it is not and they rush to condemn it.

I choose to see the nation for what it can be and thus seek to nurture and cultivate it so that this Nigeria may bring forth the fullest blossoming of its riches, resources and ingenuity of its diverse people.

We need a better Nigeria and we must move toward it with speed. Once an ally, time no longer is on our side.”

Tinubu threw his weight behind calls for true federalism and restructuring of the country, stressing that, “it would be better to restructure things to attain the correct balance between our collective purpose on one hand and our separate grassroots realities on the other.”  He added: “Sadly, the Federal Government is now doing things the states can perform with equal dexterity.

UCN