Former Abia
State Governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, has said the failure of
Nigeria’s elite, political, business and military class in joining hands with
the federal government to fight Boko Haram may jeopardise the unity of the
country and lead to its ultimate disintegration.
Kalu spoke
to journalists at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport late Tuesday on
his arrival from the United Kingdom, saying President Goodluck Jonathan may be
Nigeria’s last president as a united country.
The former
governor expressed worry over the incessant terrorist attacks in the northern
part of the country by Boko Haram, especially the kidnapping of school girls in
Chibok, Borno State, and warned that Jonathan might become to Nigeria what
Mikhail Gorbachev was to the Union Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) when he
presided over the disintegration of USSR.
However, he
noted that it was wrong to be heaping all the blame on the doorsteps of the
president and making him look weak in the handling of the crisis without much
support from relevant Nigerian citizens and institutions at a time the Jonathan
administration is in dire need of that support.
He challenged those who genuinely love Nigeria to embolden the president as he collaborates with foreign countries to end the war the insurgents are waging against the country.
He challenged those who genuinely love Nigeria to embolden the president as he collaborates with foreign countries to end the war the insurgents are waging against the country.
“I am
surprised with our political class and our private sector class, our military
class; I am surprised that they are still joking with this matter when the
country is in a serious crisis. Our citizens are in pain; there is pressure in
the business class with dwindling fortunes of businesses and we are taking it
lightly.
“The way some of us are responding, I am talking about the political, business class, military and even some of us, the civilians. If we don’t take time and collaborate and work together as Nigerians, Goodluck Jonathan might be Nigeria’s last president,” said the former Abia State governor.
“The way some of us are responding, I am talking about the political, business class, military and even some of us, the civilians. If we don’t take time and collaborate and work together as Nigerians, Goodluck Jonathan might be Nigeria’s last president,” said the former Abia State governor.
Kalu said
given the sophisticated nature of the challenge from the Boko Haram sect, he
welcomed the intervention and support from other foreign countries.
“There is
the need for us to collaborate with international organisations to resolve this
Boko Haram challenge. Anybody’s child can be kidnapped; whether it is at Chibok
or any other place, Nigerians should take this matter seriously.
“Can you
imagine how many Nigerians that have been killed; how many have been wounded? I
want people to be as wise as my grandmother. I want people to take this matter
seriously,” Kalu said.
Continuing, he said those girls kidnapped are “our sisters; they are our daughters. It is because some of us have not lost anybody to Boko Haram or our daughters are not there that is why to some people it is like a joke. We should stop taking this as a joke and take the matter very seriously.”
Continuing, he said those girls kidnapped are “our sisters; they are our daughters. It is because some of us have not lost anybody to Boko Haram or our daughters are not there that is why to some people it is like a joke. We should stop taking this as a joke and take the matter very seriously.”
According to
him, in the efforts being made to rescue the girls, the government should not
be rigid in its stance by refusing to negotiate with Boko Haram, if that would
result in the return of the girls to their families.
“The federal
government should negotiate with Boko Haram either formally or informally
because the lives of those girls are greater than any other consideration.
“We cannot allow those girls to continue suffering in the hands of these people because we don’t want to negotiate. Government can negotiate formally or informally; it can send agents to negotiate on its behalf without getting involved. The United States does this in Afghanistan and other places,” he added.
“We cannot allow those girls to continue suffering in the hands of these people because we don’t want to negotiate. Government can negotiate formally or informally; it can send agents to negotiate on its behalf without getting involved. The United States does this in Afghanistan and other places,” he added.
Nigeria will brake up on 13 march 2015 make my word and this is my first time commenting here.PROPHET MOSES ETEH
ReplyDeleteWe the Northerners are foolish people. We are killing and destroying ourselves for nothing. The Emirs , political leaders, Imams are behind the poverty and lack of education we are experiencing in d north . Jonathan is not our problem it is our people and religion that kept us behind time and backwardness. Pls change our ways. Umar Sa'ad
ReplyDeleteMay your days be long for being one in a million saying the truth.
Deletebcos they want to poor to remain poor and be coming to their houses for food and in return tell them Rankadeedee rankadeedee
DeletePls andpls let divied dis contry 4 peace to take place
ReplyDeleteNearly everybody suspects Nigeria's imminent break-up already. I fear it may happen. I hope it doesnt, anyway.
ReplyDeleteWe have been singing this discodant tone for 100years now.so let there be total seperation of incompatible bed-mates.
ReplyDeleteI want it divided if only that will restore peace to this part of the world but my fear is that it will mark the beginning of a bigger war because of sectionalism among the constituents of the fragments . Nigeria is too divided among themselves
ReplyDeleteIt is too late for your wish my brothers.
ReplyDeleteYou must understand that no body have a say in the 'make or brake' issue. Sadly it is in the hands of the Americans, Allies and israel.all of them have come to Nigeria thou many of you were clapping they have made their priorties clear they are not after the 200+ girls they have killed many million in many countries they have visited before and they have rescued not even one.
Instead of you arguing what chunk of nigeria to cut I think you should start thinking about which slave master you want to belong to and do it quick.
Honestly, I've lost faith in nigerian nation. Largely because of the serial foolish & selfish leaders who have unrepentantly rule this nation without a stinct of patrotism. They corrupted the polity to the extent that virtually ALL nigeria youths have been forced to believe that corrupt practices is the ONLY sure way to survival. Because its so clear that a blind & deaf clearly feels this madness. If the only way to secure our future is to disintegrate, to enable us beam light on the meager resources available for the constituent nations. We Must change from our OLD ways otherwise ALL stands to loss & start all over.
ReplyDeleteI say this often here that we have never been one,we are not one and we will never be one with Northerners under the roof as one country.They need us to live and trust me that we don't need them and they know that they need us to live hence they will never want that separation.
ReplyDelete