Int’l Human Solidarity Day: Nigerians Need to Tear Down Walls of Ethnic, Religious Divisions – Obi
Flag-bearer of Labour Party (LP) at the 2023 Presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, has disclosed that Nigerians need to tear down walls of ethnic and religious divisions.
Obi made the disclosure on his X page on Wednesday in celebration of this year’s International Human Solidarity Day.
“Today, we join the global community in celebrating the International Human Solidarity Day which is dedicated to strengthening our global unity in diversity, and to help in fostering international cooperation on the eradication of hunger and diseases at the global level.
“On the National level, Nigerians need to solemnly remind ourselves of the need to tear down the walls of ethnic and religious divisions that have continued to divide us and instead emphasize our unity and leverage our diverse and rich cultural and ethnic identities and strengths to advance our national progress,” Mr. Obi stated.
According to him, Nigeria has become more sharply divided and polarised than it has ever been, this, he said is triggered by overwhelming tribal and religious sentiments among the people, thereby affecting the growth and development of the country.
The former Anambra State Governor said that the aforementioned can be traced to terrible governance and politics, adding that the country’s problems are not peculiar to a region or religion.
His words: “This is clearly the result of bad politics and elite insensitivity. A report from the Africa Polling Institute stated that Nigeria achieved 44.2% in social cohesion in 2021, and in 2022, the Nigeria Social Cohesion Index (NSCI) stood at 39.6%, a 4.6% decline from 2021 and an obvious shortfall from the 50% average.
“I, therefore, wish to use this occasion to remind Nigerians that the problems of hunger, poverty, and inequality are not specific to a particular ethnicity or religion, but cut across the nation. Thus, the task ahead of us, as political leaders and as citizens, is to continue to beat the drums of unity, social justice, and social equality to form one united front that will stand in solidarity against the many challenges that confront our nation.”
Obi stressed that with sincerity, unity of purpose, mutual trust and cooperation, Nigerians will not only elect the right set of leaders devoid of ethnic and religious loyalties, but also demand accountability from any government in power.
He further stated that the success from the above will mark the commencement of a new and united nation, which remains the dream and overriding purpose of the Nigerian people.
