Nigeria’s Special Envoy to Chad and the Lake Chad Basin region, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, says any part of Nigeria that wants to pull out of the country should think about the implications of leaving and what will happen to the country’s landmass.
He said this at The Sun Newspaper Awards for 2020, in Lagos, on Saturday.
Kingibe, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), reminded separatist agitators that the land they reside would not be carved out and taken to anywhere in the event of their leaving Nigeria, pointing out that the land would remain where it is.
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South East, and Yoruba Nation group have been beating secession drums in recent times. Their activities have led to death of innocent people and security agents, as well as destruction of government infrastructure.
Kingibe, who received the newspaper’s ‘Lifetime Achievement Award,’ however, said any party that wants to pull out from the union should consider the implications.
“I was born in Nigeria. I was groomed in Nigeria. I believe in Nigeria. People of my generation believe in Nigeria. We have no doubt about the fact that we have no option but Nigeria,” he said.
“However, I think that a few of my colleagues believe that the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable. Of course, it is negotiable. Even the unity of a family is negotiable. Even the constitution of husband and wife is negotiable.
“Whoever say they want to go away, I do not think they realise the going away. It is not that you carve out the piece of land, take it up and put it on the other side of Ghana,” Kingibe said.
“The piece of land will be here. You will be here. Everybody will be here. And we all want to prosper. My appeal to everyone is, please, let us be respectful of one another. Let us not demonise one another. Let us respect the views of everybody.”
Kingibe commended a former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, for creating a platform that would enable the dialogue.
He said: “The awardees are from everywhere. I listened carefully to the remarks made by the awardees before me. Two of them from the Southeast ended their remarks by saying, I ‘believe in one Nigeria.’ I presume, it is a reflection of the fact that they achieved whatever they did because they are Nigerians. We can all achieve our goals in Nigeria. We are only part of a greater entity, be it ECOWAS. ECOWAS is one part of a greater entity called Africa and Africa exists in a globalised world.
“Wherever you go, you will remain a Nigerian, an ECOWAS citizen, an African citizen or a global citizen. So, please, let us mind our language as we address national issues. Whatever I achieved, I stood on the shoulders of great people, many of whom have deserted us, but without them, I cannot be what I am today.”
