Recently, happenings in Nigeria have revealed the depth of disunity, dishonesty, distrust, corruption and poverty in the country. In trying to find lasting solutions to these nagging problems, a non-governmental body, Good Circle International Organisation (GCIO), led by Engineer Esanerovo Trinity Agbodo, in collaboration with The Trumpet newspaper on Thursday, May 19th, 2022, held a leaders-media forum with the theme “Promoting Citizens Unity and Economic Empowerment for Sustainable National Development,” at National Merit House, Abuja.
Editor-In-Chief of The Trumpet, Omokioja Julius Eto, while welcoming participants thanked everyone for coming and reechoed the purpose of the gathering. He said all citizens must be involved and take responsibility for good governance, development and security to enhance national unity.
The GCIO president said the aim of organizing the leaders-media forum is to try to find a solution to the disunity in the country so that Nigeria can have a common focus on promoting patriotism.
Highlighting the power of journalists to influence the country, he said leaders need to partner with the media to promote the unity of the country, stating that the major way to empower Nigerians is to have a social security system that takes care of the unemployed.
He revealed that his organization was working toward sponsoring a Social security bill at the national assembly to give hope to the unemployed where the government pays them till they are employed as obtainable in the western world.
The Chairman of the Forum, Major- Gen. John Gbor (Rtd), the 2019 presidential candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and currently an aspirant, went down history lane to bring to the fore the beginning of Nigeria’s problems in relation to disunity and corruption.
He stated that the problem started in 1948 with Sir Arthur Richards who was brought in by the British from colonial Jamaica to govern Nigeria against the interest of the nationalists creating regionalism with a constitution that gave birth to the National Assembly in Lagos.
“The constitution magnified ethnicity above nationalism and gave the members of the National Assembly the opportunity to take what belongs to Nigeria to the tribes they represent, leaving others and creating sharp divisions among the ethnic tribes in the country “The nationalists agitated for the creation of Nigeria and not the British as believed in many quarters and schools of thought citing that the British wanted more than one country out of Nigeria. They agreed to make Nigeria one when they couldn’t handle the pressure from the nationalist movement anymore.
“Instead of making Nigeria one country, they decided to make it three countries in one to foster their original agenda of not making Nigeria one. They created regions (Northern region, Western Region and Eastern Region) instead of states creating an ethnic divide which is against nationalism”.
He stated that when Gen. Aguyi Ironsi became military head of state, he tried to solve the problem by creating 24 administrative regions without properly consulting with the Nigerian people, worsening the situation. General Gowon came in and created 12 states the purpose of which was to eliminate regional powers built on the strength of ethnicity and to create the spirit of nationalism.
He stated: “The creation of states couldn’t solve the problem of disunity because there was no national mindset. Nigeria has no heroes as a nation but heroes of ethnic nationalities. Why the existence of ethnic political pressure groups like AREWA, AFENIFERE, OHANAEZE NDIGBO, PANDEF? They are all established to take what belongs to Nigeria to their ethnic groups.“
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He said Nigeria has so much money but the money does not go to the appropriate quarters to service the needs of the citizens. According to him, Nigeria is operating as three countries in one but needs a president that will eliminate ethnicity and regionalism and make it a nation. When that happens, Nigeria will be greater than China in about 10 years, he stressed.
Responding to questions from journalists and media personalities present, he spoke on how Nigeria can achieve national unity. He said that Nigerians must give up ethnic sentiments and embrace national ones stating that the military created states but mind restructuring which Nigeria actually needed was not done.
He pointed to the creation of geopolitical zones which brought about sharp divisions among Nigerian ethnic groups. He noted that the British created an educational system that promoted ethnicity and not nationalism. He encouraged the youth to embrace nationalism citing the fact that the country needs a new constitution that is Nigerian.
“Wherever anyone is, the basic thing is being Nigerian and thinking of Nigeria,” he said. Gbor noted that Nigerians must obey the electoral laws and enthrone honesty beginning with the President. “The President must allow Nigerians to elect their President likewise the Governors should allow their citizens to elect their Governors,” he remarked.
He lamented the level of insecurity under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration from 2015 to date stating that the government needs to do more to checkmate it to unite the country. The government has a responsibility to reduce the prices of essential commodities, discourage ethnicity and promote the Nigerian spirit. He praised Buhari’s achievements in some areas like infrastructures.
The Deputy-Editor-in-Chief of The Trumpet, Mr. Obah Sylva, while giving a vote of thanks, commended General Gbor for making out time to attend the parley and speaking frankly on national issues, acknowledging his depth of understanding of the Nigerian situation.
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