By Olayemi Esan
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations has expressed worry for Nigeria’s future with several developmental issues, lingering insecurity and unabating wave of agitations for cessation, plaguing the country.
Chairman, NIPR Citizens Summit for National Integration, Peace and Security,Dr. Ike Neliaku, on Wednesday, made this known in Abuja, at a press briefing convened to address critical national issues.
It however, has expressed the belief that the country will not disintegrate, amid challenges, which have also hindered national integration, unity and peace-coexistence, among diverse Nigerians.
Neliaku, while noting that Nigeria, as a ‘sovereign’ nation, is too strong to disintegrate, said the country’s strength is not in its vast natural and mineral resources, but its ‘exotic’ diversity and ‘hardworking’ people.
On the NIPR’s Citizens’ Summit coming up at the end of the year, he said critical stakeholders, relevant government institutions and agencies, together with youths’ groups, are actively and fully involved in their Institute’s campaign, via organizing the Summit, to remedy Nigeria’s woes.
According to the NIPR member, the Citizens’ Summit is not an event, but a ‘process’ that will fast-track national integration, peace and security.
Dr. Neliaku, further explained that many Nigerians care less about the country’s disintegration, but rather its accelerated development and national growth, for the benefit of all.
He said: “What majority of them care about is how Nigeria will be better for all.”
He added that a larger proportion of Nigerians love Nigeria, and desire to see a rebirth of a stronger Nigeria built on equity, fairness and justice.
Neliaku, while responding to a question at the briefing, insisted that the breach in adhering to the Principle of Federal Character fueled the agitations for cessation, cry against marginalization by groups and demand for power shift, among other things causing chaos in the polity.
