Independence Day: Nigeria Should Not Break Up–Lamido

Former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, yesterday, appealed to Nigerians to sustainits oneness in the light of her big brother role in the sub-region.
Lamido, who was a former Nigeria Foreign Affairs Minister in a statement to mark Nigeria 60th birthday said Nigeria commanded huge authority within the comity of Nations.
The statement obtained byThe Tide source reads: “Today, 60 years ago, Nigeria got its Independence as a Federal Republic of Nigeria and Sovereign Nation born with fanfare and celebration by our founding Fathers.
“A new nation blessed by God with everything any nation could wish for, proud, hard working, industrious people, rich history, strong and rich traditions and cultures, large population, natural endowments in everything under the soil and on the soil.
“Drop any seed anywhere in Nigeria, it will germinate and grow! We have the best of the two spans from the semi Sahara to the Sea. We could not wish for more!
“And to prepare us for the task ahead, our founding Fathers coined in our National Anthem a stanza ‘though tribe and tongue may differ in Brotherhood (Sisterhood) we stand’ which means uniting around our humanity. It was an effort to capture more succinctly the complexities and intricacies they envisaged in our dual role as a Nation and a Leader of the Black race.
“Barely six years into our journey of nation-building the dream of our founding Fathers was shattered through a violent military coup culminating in a civil war where brother was killing a brother!
“Only the resolve of leaders like late Awolowo, late Azikwe, late Ukpabi Asika, many and other nationalists to rally around Yakubu Gowon’s Federal Government saved the Nation. Our soldiers on both side as brothers went through the agony of pointing guns on the head of each other, ironically Buhari too was there in the war to unite Nigeria!
“Here we are today at 60, regional leaders in their late eighties and nineties like Edwin Clark a Minister under Gowon, Ayo Adebabjo Awolowos’ disciple, my brother Nwodo a Zikist, Gen Danjuma who fought for unity and Prof Ango, northern elder, are now entertaining dividing the Country which has been there for them to be what they are today.
“Even those born after independence like Mustapha champion of Northern group, Kanu of IPOB, Asari of Niger delta, Yinka of Afenifere are also nibbling the bait of division!