The United States Consul General in Lagos,
Jeffrey Hawkins, has said Nigeria must not
split as there are a lot of commonalities that
bring the people of the country together.
US consul general Jeffrey Hawkins (right), and
Dr. Ahmad Sa’eid, during the Iftar Buffet
According to him, despite all the religious and
cultural differences in the country and the
incessant Boko Haram attacks, particularly in
the Northeast, Nigerians should stay united
and build a stronger country rather than split.
Hawkins disclosed this while speaking during
the Iftar buffet dinner with Muslim and
Christians scholars at his residence in Ikoyi
area of Lagos state, PM News reports.
He explained that what brings Nigerians
together is stronger than what may seek to
divide them.
" When you watch the World Cup, when you’re
sitting with Nigerians watching Nigeria play
France, I don’t think there’s a lot of Christians
and Muslims, I don’t think there’s a lot of
north-south, I think there are only Nigerians.
“I think rather than deconstruct something that
can be really great, (the solution is) to move
Nigerians to build something that can be really
great. I don’t think disruption is the answer. I
think building up is the answer," Hawkins said.
The US consul general said that Boko Haram’s
claims that they fighting for religion is a very
twisted version of Islam and religion.
Delivering a brief sermon before the break of
fast, Dr. Ahmad Sa’eid, a surgeon at the Lagos
State University Hospital, LASUTH, and a
Muslim, said the terrorists are not Muslims
and are not representing Islam.
Also speaking at the event, Chukwunonso
Ume-Ezeoke, a lawyer, called on Nigerian
politicians to take religion away from politics,
while advising Nigerians to choose leaders
based on their track records and performance,
rather than religion or ethnicity.
There have been several predictions that
Nigeria would break-up by 2015 following the
insecurity challenges and political in the
country. An ex-militant, Asari Dokubo had said
that the nation would disintegrate in 2015 if
President Goodluck Jonathan is not re-elected .
Apparently reacting to Asari’s statement, Niger
State Governor Babangida Aliyu had said that
the North will survive in case of a breakup of
the country .
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