The need for peace in Nigeria

THE National Orientation Agency (NOA), a parastatal under the Ministry of Information and Culture, has a lot to do if we are to have a united country; in the wake of the renewed pro-Biafra agitations, I was expecting to see messages on television, listen to jingles on radios and read adverts in newspapers stating why Nigeria is better-off as a united country. We had a terrible civil war between 1967 and 1970, and those who experienced it will never pray it happens again, but with what is happening in the country today, we are at the risk of having another war. The Igbo people have resurrected the Biafra agitation, Niger Delta militants have returned to the creeks, with some of them even threatening to declare a Niger Delta Republic; there is also the killings by herdsmen who are rampaging through the Southern part of the country.

Let us take a look at Yemen, Libya and Syria; the wars in these countries started as mere protests, and before the citizens knew what was happening, they had turned into full scale wars. Today, I know Syrians will be regretting ever starting the protests that have ruined their once beautiful country.

Almost a third of Syria is empty now, with normal life existing only in the protected capital, Damascus. Even, with all the military protection, Damascus residents are still in a state of fear. So, we may also think that all the protests and agitations across the country are insignificant, but there are fifth columnists who are ever ready to hijack such peaceful protests.

Therefore, the NOA, and other agencies of government, particularly those in the South East and South South, should start projecting the need for peace in the country.

The truth of the matter is that we have a bright future ahead of us with our huge population; this is why China and India are destinations of choice for international investors.

Nigeria should, therefore, use its huge population to serve as catalyst for its economic growth.

We have a population that can consume any product; this is a plus for those setting up businesses in the country.

In fact, it is better to have a 20 per cent market share in Nigeria than have a 100 per cent share in some other countries of the world.

• Gbemi Kehinde,

gbmi2002@yahoomail.com