Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday said that he feared for the minority groups that are wont to be oppressed or exterminated in the event of the disintegration of Nigeria.
Obasanjo stated at his penthouse residence within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State when he received members of Tiv professionals Group (TPG) led by Prof Zacharys Gundu.
The former president described calls for the disintegration of Nigeria as unmindful and insensitive to the plight of the minority groups in the country.
“If the Yoruba can stand as a country if the Igbos and the Hausa/Fulani can stand as separate countries, where do we want the minority groups to be?
“Now, by virtue of the present situation, they are a little bit protected but if Nigeria breaks up, they will be oppressed and exterminated,” he said.
He recalled a discussion between him and “a military friend” who, according to him, had described the major tribes in the country as selfish and not sufficiently caring for the minority groups.
Obasanjo, who aligned with his friend’s opinion, expressed worry over what would become of the minority groups if the major tribes decided to secede and begin to operate as separate countries.
He recalled the meetings he had with a number of socio-cultural organisations in September 2020 and noted that nobody at such meeting talked about disintegration or breakup.
“All they clamoured for was a change for good,” he said.
Obasanjo stressed the need for Nigerian leaders to be mindful of the ethnic diversity of the Nigerian nation, adding that the country would not make any meaningful progress without such consideration.
He charged leaders to ensure 2023 gives birth to a new federation otherwise the country may slide into dissolution.
“I do believe that whatever else we do, we have to make the year 2023 a watershed for Nigeria.
“The year 2023 should give us the beginning of emergence of a new federation or feeling that the rot continues, and then, we are going to be sliding back to dissolution. God forbid.
“I believe that if we will get it right in Nigeria, any leader must look at Nigeria with the prism of the diversity of Nigeria. For as long as you look at Nigeria with the prism of your ethnic group, then you aren’t going anywhere, either your ethnic group or religious group. But is there hope? There is hope,” he added.
In his remarks, Gundu, who presented a paper to Obasanjo, highlighted the challenges of the nation, including insecurity, poverty religious intolerance, kidnappings and banditry, among others.
He said the Tivs were worried about the skewed narrative of insecurity in Nigeria
Proffering a solution to Nigeria’s challenges, Gundu called on well-meaning Nigerians to be united in serving the country.
He called for intensified advocacy against nomadic pastoralism and an “All Nationalities Summit” to discuss and proffer solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.
