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Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State says religion, ethnicity, and tribal tendencies are hurting the country.
According to him, these issues are to blame for the country’s low national integration, which is in stark contrast to what Nigeria was like a few years ago.
The Governor stated this while hosting a dinner and induction ceremony for new members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors at the government house on Tuesday night.
He believes that Nigeria’s diversity is a plus, and that the country would suffer more problems if it had only one tribe, religion, or culture and called on the media to help build a strong, united Nigeria.
Said he: “The level of National integration in Nigeria is getting low and low. I think as members of the press, you have to do a lot.
“And religious sentiment, tribal sentiment and ethnicity, all these things put together are making Nigeria weak and weaker. There is no doubt we have differences but we fail to maximize and take advantage of our difference and that is very important. The difference we are having are advantage in a way, living in homogeneous society.
“If all Nigerians are of one tribe, one religion, one culture, we would have more problems because the problems will be inherent problems. But take the advantage of diversity, every ethnic nationality must have some inherent traits that if properly harnessed will promote national development.
“That is why American is growing. Look at their history. They succeeded in harnessing their differences.
“Members of the media, you must hold it that Nigeria must be one. Be convinced that Nigeria must be one. And any elements of deviations by members of the society must not be allowed to grow. We know leaders can be faulty, they are indispensable but whether they are good or bad, there must be leaders because there can’t be vacuum,” Governor Ganduje said while urging Nigerians to understand that nobody is perfect.
