President
Goodluck
Jonathan
on
Sunday
said
despite
the
various
challenges
currently
facing
Nigeria,
it
was
too
old
to disintegrate.
Having been together for about
100 years since the
amalgamation of the North and
South protectorates in 1914, the
president said it was too late for
any region in the country to ask
for a “divorce.”
Jonathan spoke during the
Armed Forces Remembrance Day
inter-denominational service at
the National Ecumenical Centre,
Abuja.
He said, “In 2014, we are going
to celebrate our centenary; our
100 years of existence.
“You cannot stay in a marriage
for 100 years and say that is the
time you will divorce. If there are
issues that we have been
managing, we will continue to
manage them. We will not talk
about separation.
“I always say that all nations of
the world have their own history.
Sometimes, people question the
unity of this country, especially
when you talk about the
amalgamation of the South and
North in 1914.
“If you look at the history of very
big countries, some have very
ugly past. It is for us who are
alive today to reshape our future.
We should begin to talk about
those things that will bring unity
and development.”
The President also warned
leaders at all levels to desist from
divisive tendencies, saying the
country would overcome some
of its challenges if the citizens
loved one another and live in
peace.
He said, “ If our leaders at all
levels, whether political leaders,
community or religious leaders,
talk more about those things that
divide us instead of those things
that bring us together, then we
will be encouraging younger
ones who know little or nothing
about the history of this country
to do things differently.
“So, the best gift we can give to
the armed forces and sister
organisations, is for us in our
daily utterances and activities to
emphasise the need for us to live
in peace, love ourselves and
unite.
“Some people talk about
disintegration of Nigeria. Even at
political level, some people take it
as a weapon of self-seeking
when they want to discuss
politics.
“My conviction and I believe that
of everybody here is that Nigeria
will continue to remain a united
nation.
“Nigeria will not disintegrate.
Anybody who is doing any
research on sociology,
psychology or political science
can do his work, but Nigeria will
remain one.”
Jonathan, who spoke also on the
country’s greatness, attributed it
to its size and diversity.
He said, “I always say that they
say Nigeria is big, it is not
because of the oil. There are
smaller countries that produce
more oil than us. What is the
quantity of oil that we produce
after all?
“Yes, we do produce but our oil
per unit person is insignificant.
But we are appreciated and we
are still reckoned with in spite of
our challenges because of our
size and diversity both of the
human beings and the
environment.
“But when we work together,
we will take this country to
where we want to go. Where our
children, our grandchildren and
children yet unborn will be
happy.”
On the security challenges, the
President noted that security
agents were doing well.
Jonathan said, “We sleep because
our security agents have to stay
awake. In some cases where
things happen, people blame
them. But for those of us who
get daily reports about the
security challenge we have, we
know that these men and
women have been doing very
well.''
Source:
punchng.com/news/nigeria-too-old-to-disintegrate-jonathan/

what is ur take on dis topic fellow nairalnders?

If there are
issues that we have been
managing, we will continue to
manage them.

I wonder why this would come out from a president's mouth.

Point of correction Mr. President: Marriage without consent is always subject to nullity!
How does this man reason?
I'm not a fervent preacher of disintegration, but believe me, if that's what will put an end to the incessant killing in the north and stop you, GEJ, from always spitting rubbish, then let's go there!
Disintegration is neither good nor bad but for the reasons.
GEJ, pleeaz!