Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday said although Nigerians would fare better staying together than breaking up, the nation’s unity should not be at ‘any cost’.

“I am a strong believer of one Nigeria, but not one Nigeria at any cost, but one Nigeria where every Nigerian can feel proud that he or she has a stake in this country,” the retired general, who fought during the nation’s civil war, said

Mr Obasanjo, who said he believed in one, indivisible Nigeria, stated this in Abeokuta at his investiture as a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyor (NIS) organised by the Ogun chapter of the Body of Fellows of the NIS.

Call To Agitators
The former president called on agitators for the disintegration of the country to shelve the idea and work for the oneness of the country.
According to him, ”it is better for Nigeria to remain as one indivisible nation than for each tribe to go its separate way”.
Mr Obasanjo, who acknowledged that Nigeria is passing through challenges, insisted that “disintegration is not the solution”.

According to him, ”any Nigerian who does not feel concerned about the challenges of the country is a human being without being human”.

“It is better that Nigeria stays together and find solutions to its challenges than for each tribe to go its separate way,” said Mr Obasanjo said.

“I am a strong believer of one Nigeria, but not one Nigeria at any cost, but one Nigeria where every Nigerian can feel proud that he or she has a stake in this country.

“Those of us who have shed part of our blood and sweat for this country, we did so because we wanted a country where every Nigerian can claim as his or her own.

“I believe that if we talk among ourselves the way we should and if we change the narrative, I believe this is a great country.

“The fact that we are not making Nigeria what God wants it to be is not the fault of God, but our fault, particularly the leaders.”
In the midst of the precarious multi-dimensional security and economic challenges facing Nigeria today, regional groups have been calling for the breakup of the nation as presently constituted.

‘Not The Solution’
But Mr Obasanjo, who noted that Nigeria’s diversity remained a major source of its strength, explained that disintegration would result in “weak republics”.

“One thing that gives us strength is our diversity. If all that we have is Republic of Oduduwa for those who say so, members of that country will be diminished compared to being a citizen of Nigeria.

“Citizens of Oduduwa Republic or any other republic borne out of Nigeria will be diminished compared to being citizens of Nigeria.

“In this age and time that we are talking about the reintegration of Africa for economic development, disintegration of any country will be almost idiotic,” he said.

The former president wondered what would become of the over 300 minorities in Nigeria if the three major tribes went their separate ways.

“If we have Igboland as an independent country, Yorubaland, an independent country, and Fulani/Hausaland an independent country, where will the Jukuns or the Gbasama belong?

“The only reason they can raise up their heads is because they belong to Nigeria.

“Are we thinking of them or are we are just being selfish? We should note that. It doesn’t matter what we do, we will still be neighbours.

“We had seen it before, India was broken into India and Pakistan, they are still at war till today. “Yugoslavia was broken into different countries, they haven’t sorted it till today.
“Sudan was broken into Sudan and South Sudan, I don’t believe South Sudan is better for it and that is the truth,” he said.

The former president, who described Nigeria’s challenges as correctable and surmountable, counselled that it would cost less for Nigerians to work together for the unity of the country than to break up and be perpetually in war against each other.

“When that happens, we will be spending our money on building armies.

“I know what is involved in building and maintaining an army which may not necessarily be productive, let us think about it,” he said.

Mr Obasanjo, who stressed the importance of surveyors, said the entire country should be surveyed in order to achieve economic development and transformation.

He, therefore, charged the body of surveyors to draft a proposal for the national survey of the country and present to the Federal Government.

“When I was the president of the country, the project of surveying the entire country began, but it got stuck and I don’t know where the project is now,” he said.

Meanwhile, in his address, Ademola Adewale, the chairman of the Ogun chapter of NIS disclosed that his members had concluded plans to produce a unique digital map of the state.

“This will make us to become self-sufficient in geospatial information and will affect all sectors positively and thereby increase the state internally generated revenue (IGR) geometrically,” he said

‘Not The Solution’
But Mr Obasanjo, who noted that Nigeria’s diversity remained a major source of its strength, explained that disintegration would result in “weak republics”.

“One thing that gives us strength is our diversity. If all that we have is Republic of Oduduwa for those who say so, members of that country will be diminished compared to being a citizen of Nigeria.

“Citizens of Oduduwa Republic or any other republic borne out of Nigeria will be diminished compared to being citizens of Nigeria.

“In this age and time that we are talking about the reintegration of Africa for economic development, disintegration of any country will be almost idiotic,” he said.

The former president wondered what would become of the over 300 minorities in Nigeria if the three major tribes went their separate ways.

“If we have Igboland as an independent country, Yorubaland, an independent country, and Fulani/Hausaland an independent country, where will the Jukuns or the Gbasama belong?

“The only reason they can raise up their heads is because they belong to Nigeria.

“Are we thinking of them or are we are just being selfish? We should note that. It doesn’t matter what we do, we will still be neighbours.

“We had seen it before, India was broken into India and Pakistan, they are still at war till today. “Yugoslavia was broken into different countries, they haven’t sorted it till today.
“Sudan was broken into Sudan and South Sudan, I don’t believe South Sudan is better for it and that is the truth,” he said.

Yobabad:
We are no longer interested, I feel so bad every day I see myself as a Nigerian, we don't want to be part of Nigeria again

Rissimenky:
OBASANJO SAID:



Exact same thing I've been saying on this forum for months. You break up Nigeria, you diminish yourselves into little weak republics like Sierra Leone, with zero guarantee of prosperity.

GorillaApp:
Na so. But you join install this monument of failure called bihari

It is evident that the only agenda of Gen.Muhammadu Buhari as President of Nigeria is to conquer all other ethnic groups by fully Fulanize and Islamize the country. When it comes to stupidity, Buhari can be likened to an unhinged drunkard at the bar regaling patrons with his stupidity. For six years, we have been abused and at the same time amused by the deeply idiotic episodes of Buhari in Nigeria’s most stupid era.

Humans are fond of doing stupid things. Stupidity is more accepting in individual’s life. But we must rebuff & rebel stupidity in a national leadership. There are two sides of history- the right side and the stupid side. A president can choose to be on a right side or on a stupid side. There is a mad rush for some presidents to be on a stupid side.

Few examples of Buhari’s impossibly stupidity will suffice. How profoundly stupid can Buhari be when for six years he has been jetting out to Britain for medical treatment and didn’t deem it wise to use the power and resources of his office to build first class hospitals in all the 36 states.

With the prevailing state of anarchy in the country, Buhari doesn’t see it fit and right to address the nation even for once. On rare occasions when he addressed Nigerians, we had to plead and beg. Buhari is building railway to Niger while such has not been extended to the 36 states. He said he’ll lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in ten years. The same Buhari failed to fulfill his campaign promise of creating two million jobs every two years.

He said Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable.But he zealously pursue policies & programs that fragments and disunites Nigeria: nepotism, corruption, divisive politics, filled all federal civil service jobs and posts in federal agencies with his Fulani kinsmen.

He proscribed IPOB freedom fighters as a terrorist organization. On the other hand, he appoints terrorist Isa Pantami as minister and staunchly stands behind Pantami and his terrorist declarations.

Buhari desperately hunts for Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho Oosa who is fighting to save Yorubas from Fulani herdsmen terrorists. At the same time, he shields Miyetti Allah terrorists, the Gumis and other northern terrorist groups. I can go on, and on, and on.

Buhari’s regime has been one disaster after another. These fiascos can be ascribed directly to Buhari’s lack of intellectual horsepower. Buhari has given no indication he possesses mental capacity, wisdom, and leadership skills to be president. When the story of Buhari’s reign of terror is told many years from now, students and history enthusiasts will learn about Buhari’s terrorism, nepotism, lies, corruption, and self-enrichment.

War drums from Buhari and Fulani invaders are becoming louder and louder every day. Nigeria’s break up is certain. Separation is the only way out!

Armaggedon:
This statement is a precursor. Obj I know will back disintegration soon. He is only struggling to accept it.

Rissimenky:


ILLITERATE, SHUT UP.

Take a trip to South Sudan and see what is there.

You couldn't spend 2 days in South Sudan. Guaranteed.

Their capital city and ONLY city, Juba, is less developed than Umuahia.

DUMBOS FULL OF SELF HATE TYPING RUBBISH

Just shut up when Obasanjo is talking.

Your job is to listen, not add your little dash of dumb ignorance.

Rissimenky:


THEN MOVE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY.

NIGERIA WILL NOT SPLIT UP JUST BECAUSE TRAITORS LIKE YOU EXIST.