Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that despite the activities of those with a divisive agenda, Nigeria will prevail over her tribulations due to the resilience, faith, hope, and strength of its people.
According to a communique by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, Prof. Osinbajo stated this at the National Social Cohesion Dialogue organized by the Africa Polling Institute held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre iin Abuja on Thursday. Describing Nigerians as “an unbreakable people”, the VP noted that the country’s diversity can be used to drive further economic growth.
“Despite the divisive rhetoric of demagogues and the utterances of those who profit from disharmony, Nigerians do not hate each other,” Osinbajo stated. “Every day, millions of Nigerians of different ethnicities and creeds commingle, make common cause and forge friendships across our fabled fault lines. While we have our share of such acrimony, the situation does not support the narrative that we are a nation of fragments condemned to be perpetually at each other’s throats.”
While advocating for unity despite sundry differences, the VP warned against “polarising identity politics”. “Politicians who continue to traffic in division and discord are behind the times and have failed to take note of how much more integrated our society has become,” he added, stressing that those calling for the separation of the country will not succeed.
