From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

Former president Goodluck Jonathan has said Nigeria is still grappling with the consequences of poor management of the country’s diversity and differences.

Jonathan, who spoke at the second Igbo Nsukka Zik Annual Merit Award 2021 in Abuja, yesterday, appealed to Nigerians to focus on the factors threatening the realisation of Azikiwe’s dream regarding integration, national unity and economic emancipation.

“I believe the ideals, philosophy and wisdom of Azikiwe are very relevant now, as we seek to chart a way forward for our beloved country, at this particular time in our nationhood. The nation owes Azikiwe a debt of gratitude. His outstanding role while working with other great nationalists to secure the independence we enjoy today was legendary.

“Nigerians of different generations will continue to remember his extraordinary efforts towards keeping Nigeria one, and his belief in Nigeria’s greatness anchored on equity, justice and inclusion.

“An indigene of Eastern Nigeria, born in Northern Nigeria and established in Western Nigeria, Azikiwe had a cosmopolitan life experience and disposition that prepared him for his role in the society.

“This enabled him to envision a progressive Nigeria, whose diverse tribes and tongue would blend to produce a great nation to lead the rest of Africa.

“Whether as a political leader, author, journalist and media owner, Zik was sincere in his consistent rhetoric about freedom and economic emancipation. He spent most of his life fighting for the progress of this country and the well-being of her people.

“It is, therefore, a thing of great significance that this group: Igbo Nsukka United Front, chose this very special day to evoke the nationalist spirit and principles of Azikiwe and restore to our consciousness, those ideals that raised our optimism about a cohesive and peaceful nation.

“A nation that would draw its strength in ethnic tolerance and accommodation and project to the world the beauty of unity in diversity.

“In those early days, Azikiwe never minced words on his belief and optimism in the great potential of our uniquely diverse society. He lived and died for one Nigeria, believing that what binds us is greater and more beneficial than what divides us as a people.

“While most political pundits insist the potential for Nigeria’s greatness remains potent, our nation has continued, since independence, to grapple with the consequences of poor management of our diversity and differences.

“Recently, I addressed another forum where I delivered a paper entitled: ‘Redefining Democracy: Yearnings of the Minority in a Democratic Setting’, which dealt extensively on Nigeria’s diversity and minority rights.

“In that discourse, I made the point that our inability to manage our diversity is a major stumbling block to our socio-economic development as a nation.

“When I convened the 2014 national conference as president, my intention was to create an environment that would enable our citizens to dispassionately address those issues that are pushing us towards divisive politics and sowing the seeds of discord in our polity.

Speaking while proposing a toast, former governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, lamented that Nigeria is not the dream of Azikiwe even as he noted that there was still a glimpse of hope.

“This is certainly not the Nigeria of Zik’s dream. He will not be happy with the monumental failure we are seeing today. I, however, believe it is not a hopeless situation. There is still hope and bright future for a new Nigeria,” he said.

President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, George Obiozor, enumerated what Zik would have done in the present day Nigeria.

Represented by the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, he said if Zik were alive, he would convinced President Muhammadu Buhari to view the South East through the same lens as those that voted for him en masse during the 2015 and 2019 general elections.

“If Zik were alive, he would have invited all the serving governors, senators, National Assembly members, ministers, the clergy, the business moguls, youth leaders, women groups and other social movements in the South East with a view to addressing the Igbo needs in Nigeria.”