ELFON Calls For Unity of Nigeria
By Lazarus Zakaa, Abuja.
The National Leadership of the Emerging Leaders Forum of Nigeria (ELFON), Conveners of PROJECT UNITY NIGERIA have noted that since the amalgamation of Northern and Southern protectorates, there has not been any conscious effort to unite the country and create the awareness, saying that there is no difference between Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Efik and Ijaw man; that we are one people.
“This lack of oneness is what is giving rise to all these economic, religious, ethnic, security, and political problems”.
“Take, for instance, the entire issue of Boko Haram, banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery, put all of them together, I don’t think they are up to 10,000 people nationwide, I don’t think they can chase away 2million plus people members of ELFON – Project Unity Nigeria Team if we get the needed support to advance our campaign for Nigeria’s Unity.
The case of Nigeria is simple: About 200 million Nigerians are not united, but about 10,000 who focused on banditry and other social vices are united against the rest.
The Project Unity Nigeria Campaign will help us to understand the need for oneness. One thing I realized as a politician in this country is that our communication system is very bad. What the Southwestern and Southsouthern leaders tell their people is different from what they say nationally; what the Southeastern leaders and what the Northern leaders tell their people is different from what they say in Abuja.
When they go back home, they tell their people “Nigeria doesn’t want us, we are marginalized”, but when they come to Abuja, you see them interacting, visit each other, having tea and coffee. They pass wrong messages to ordinary citizens for selfish reasons.
We have not communicated love, friendship, and brotherhood to our people. We have not gone back to the Igbo man to say the Hausa man is your brother, he loves you, or to the North to say the Yoruba man loves you.
For me, Nigeria’s unity is still a “theoretical fabrication” that does not reflect any practical realities until Progressive Minded Nigerians, concerned agencies, defenders of Nigeria’s sovereignty and the presidency begin to take issues of Patriotism serious and support genuine movements like ELFON- Project Unity Nigeria, supporting genuine hoisting of our Green White Green Nigerian Flag to stand tall, dwarfing other seperatist flags.
Some people claim that Nigeria is united, but in practical terms, it’s far from being united. Ethnicity, religion and political sentiments have divided this country beyond recognition and that is why even members of same ruling political party don’t work together as a team thereby making it very difficult for the prime leader to govern this country, fight insurgency, handle banditry and other criminal activities.
This is why I and some Patriotic Emerging Leaders in Nigeria birthed the PROJECT UNITY NIGERIA Campaign with My Flag! My Pride!! slogan where all Nigerians will come together to constantly remind themselves that we are better United as one People for a better Nigeria irrespective of our diversities.
Those calling for Nigeria’s division can be better engaged for a batter Nigeria if we agree as a people. The Nigeria’s Independence that we celebrate today wouldn’t have been achieved if those that pioneered it weren’t United.
We hereby assure Nigerians, that with your unflinching support, together we will someday begin to celebrate a day as Nigeria’s National Unity Day just as the world celebrates St.Valentine today.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria
*Amb. Godstime Chukwubuikem Samuel*
National President, Emerging Leaders Forum of Nigeria (ELFON)
14th February, 2020.
