The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, and the founder of the Kukah Centre, Bishop Mathew Kukah, have called on Nigerians to work towards building a united nation.
The duo made the call at the National Integration Conference with the theme: “Revisiting the National Question: Nigeria’s Elusive Search for National Integration,” organised by the Kukah Centre.
Tajudeen, who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, said Nigeria’s pluralism and its vast diversity in ethnicity, language, and religion remain a valuable asset to the nation.
According to him, embracing and leveraging its pluralism would propel Nigeria towards a more unified and prosperous future where the collective strengths of its diverse population would be fully harnessed.
“Our diversity should be our strategic advantage, making us more resilient, innovative, and cohesive as a nation.
“Our ongoing constitutional amendment process also aims to strengthen these mechanisms, promoting a more inclusive, fair, and just society,” he said.
Kukah, while stressing the urgent need for nation building, urged all Nigerians to stop the blame game and unite for the good of the country.
“Building our nation is not about apportioning blame. It is about the urgency of national integration.
“National integration doesn’t necessarily mean everybody must be the same. It is for us in Nigeria to understand the intricacies of managing diversity,” the Sokoto Diocese Catholic Bishop added.
Kukah said anybody who calls himself or herself a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should believe in the Constitution and build Nigeria.