News Editor
The unite drive of a people is like king Canute’s ocean tide – it cannot be held back. In a culturally and religiously plural nation like Nigeria, our assets and strength lies within the various beliefs, talents and skills that makes up our culture and its beauty. Therefore, the manifold political orientations should be weaved into a strong bond to bind us together and not as a barricade to separate us. The HOLY BIBLE, the HOLY QUR’AN, our various customary laws and even the political ideologies of the different political parties, carries this one central message of love and peaceful coexistence as a nation. Therefore, for Nigeria to live in peace and to realize its full possibilities and potentials, our citizens must as a matter of practice accept that we are one irrespective of our Religion and other differences!
This step towards a virile and strong country can be achieved in the way we relate, respect and work with each other first and foremost as Nigerians. The 5ask to build a united nation like ours, founded in the pedestal of our gifts of diversity is perhaps what took Dr Mike Agbo Omeri, Obowu Kha Kyana on Monday to the palace of HRH, Justice Sidi Bage Mohammad, Emir of Lafia and Chairman, Nasarawa state Council of Chiefs where he donated Cartons of the HOLY QUR’AN for distribution to the Muslim Ummah in Lafia and other Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State.
Dr Omeri who is a Christian by religion, in donating the HOLY QUR’AN at this significant month of the Ramadan speaks volume of his exemplary believe in the oneness of Nigeria because religion is not the only issue that brings food to the table and rids poverty out of existence.
This exemplary gesture is one man’s expressed sense of creating a national narrative which could be emulated. It is akin to the tradition of old where the religion you professed mattered no more than the fact of your nigerianess. Th3 example here I’d that we live together and still respect the universal and proven principles that places value on the human being than on whose is better or mind is better than yours, accept it or fight it. These gestures are capable of driving into our hearts an expressed sense of love and believe in the potentials and capacity of all Nigerians. To add colour to the fortunes of the message, Omeri also collaborated with Olaide Awosedo, Founder, Gallant Women Ability Foundation (G-WAF), United Kingdom to positively affect the lives of the teeming disabled persons through the donation and distribution of food items and other basic needs to the people that needed them. This was done irrespective of their physical disabilities and the highly responsive people with special needs were well organized, more as that most of us without special needs.
This indeed, is a gesture worthy of emulation by all from the various sects and divides of the country especially at this period of severe socio- economic, individual, security concerns and threat to our communal existence for desired nationhood. We must be circumspect in dealing with those whose duty is to miscommunicate our nationhood in or out of government. They should be begged and appealed upon to stop insulting people who offer advise or constructively criticize but should always look out for plausible input even within their interpretation of rubbish. Let the fear of insult from senior government officials and friends of government not keep away the values we need for the good of each one and for all of us.
