The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has admitted that marginalisation is the reason behind the clamour for secession by some parts of the country.
Lawan on Wednesday in Abuja also advised leaders in the country, not to ignore concerns by any part decrying the marginalisation of its people.
The Senate President warned that ignoring such clamour will dwindle citizens’ patriotism and create walls of division in the country, while also inflaming more calls for the balkanisation of Nigeria.
He stated this in an address delivered at the presentation of a book, ‘Foundations of Nigeria’s Unity,’ authored by the senator representing Cross River Central and Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State, Sandy Onor.
Speaking at the NAF Conference Centre, the venue of the event, Senator Lawan said, “There is no part of this country that does not cry about marginalization from time to time, but, I think, some of these tendencies of pull-away are centrifugal tendencies created by the elite.
“It is our duty as leaders to look into those genuine calls when our citizens complain.
“Where we find justification, we shouldn’t shy away from addressing those calls to make our citizens more patriotic.
“It is a proven fact, as the book argues, that nation are made by men and women, by peoples and communities, who are painstaking in efforts at staying as one, and harnessing their diversities for greatness.
“This process has been the hallmark of nations in history, which is why some of the greatest nations on planet earth are neither completely homogeneous nor heterogeneous.
“They have moved on to higher levels by deliberately working on their diversities, and making the best out of it through resolves, regulations and the instrument of good governance.
“Growth and development are neither a function of the commonality of culture nor the disparities in traditions.
“Progress comes through the determination of a people to stay together, leveraging the vision and mission of the constitution and the leadership.
“Calls for separation are therefore inimical to efforts at nation-building, especially if the consequences of this are put into proper perspective.
“It is the reason we often desire a good understanding of history for all to be better guided in our calls and agitations.
“Distinguished Senator Onor has provided a thorough understanding through this intellectual analysis, focusing on the past to interpret our present, and concluding that our heterogeneity can be a foundation for unity.
“This patriotic and nationalistic effort is a step in the right direction, in the bid to expand our knowledge of nationhood, such that our challenges would not be seen as unusual and insurmountable.”
