The Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi says Nigeria is not “a nation”.
This is as he urged for peace, justice and inclusion to make the most populous African country a united entity.
Fayemi, a former presidential aspirant and chair of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja during a panel discussion titled ‘Nigeria’s Unfinished Greatness and Next Steps’.
The discussion was part of activities to mark the 70th birthday of Mathew Kukah, Catholic bishop of Sokoto Diocese.
In his words, “Fact is, development will only thrive when we have a nation. To have a nation is to have a consensus on a definition of what nationhood means to Nigerians,” said the Ekiti governor. “It means we must galvanise support for its progress. We have not arrived at that destination yet, but our mission is to build it.”
He also noted that the “work we put into the process of nation building, national coalition, peace and justice will determine how far we go,” stressing that “the route to nation building is peace and the root of peace is justice and inclusion.”
The Ekiti governor further stated that Nigerians had an opportunity to continue strengthening their bond of unity despite how challenging the process could be.
He explained that Nigeria required concerted efforts and solid cohesion ahead of the 2023 general elections.
