SAN FRANCISCO, November 06, (THEWILL) – Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, on Wednesday asked Nigerians who are fond of attacking and casting undue aspersion on the North to stop it.
Describing the posture as unhealthy for the growth and development of the country, Shettima warned that the continued attack on the North as if it was the problem of the nation would not do anyone any good, insisting that every part of the nation is essential in the search for greatness.
Shettima, gave the charge when he received the members of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference at the Government House , Maiduguri, saying it was disheartening that a lot of Nigerians do not understand the intricacies of the country and as such speak most time from a point of ignorance.
The governor said it was wrong for any part of the country to have this larger than life position, noting that Nigerians have stayed long enough together as a people to be separated.
“The fate of Nigerians lies in your hands,” he told the committee members, adding that it was unacceptable for some persons to target the North as if it is the drawback of the country,
Shettima expressed disgust that some persons are in the habit of bringing the north into disrepute and painting the entire region as if it does not contribute anything into the nation’s commonwealth.
“It is foolhardy for us to think that the nation could be taken to pieces, stressing that most perceived ethnic nationalities are amalgam of various ethnic nationalities which have long lost their independent identities.
“Kanuris or Kanem Borno is extinct, it is an amalgam of different group as well as the Yoruba and it will be wrong for anyone to believe we can have a Kanuri nation,” he said.
According to Shettima, what Nigeria needs is good leaders, a leadership which is equitable and just to all, as he insisted that: “Our brothers in the Niger Delta should know that oil will soon run dry and where do they look up to. We all have contribution to the commonwealth.”
He added: “We have oil in Borno, but I must tell you that it belong to all Nigeria, we must learn to respect each other and live in unity for the destiny of Africa and the black race depend on us, Nigeria is largely the determinant of the future of the black race.
“If we have the interest of our people at heart we will have a great nation, the elites are the problem of the nation. We cause problems for our personal gains.”
He thanked the committee for starting on a good note by distancing themselves from the controversy of Captain Tony Nyiam (Rtd.), noting that with that, they have shown Nigerians that they mean business and would stand for what is right.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Femi Okurounmu, had earlier explained that their presence in Maiduguri was to send a message to the rest of the nation that peace has returned to the town and to state what they perceived about the town was history and ” to tell all that this place is also important and cannot be left out in the scheme of things in the nation.”
