Nigeria’s Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, led a list of eminent Nigerians in Abuja to witness the public presentation of a book, “Foundations of Nigeria’s Unity”, written by the Senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District and gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, Sandy Ojang Onor.
At the occasion, Lawan who described Onor as Cross River’s gift to the nation, commended the author for taking time out of his busy schedule to put together a historical material which will remain a potent reference point for all manner of Nigerians. He however in his remarks, entirely blamed elites in Nigeria for the country’s problems. “Without the elites, religion will not matter, the unity of our people will not be threatened because the common people live side by side in our communities, inter-marry and sustain social relationships without considering the things that divide us. The issues this book tackles, should challenge us to go back and see how we can live in peace with one another in this country”, he stated.
Former Cross River State governor, Clement Ebri, present at the occasion wondered why national unity and integration has been pushed aside and ethnicity propagated. He drew the attention of the audience to instances in Nigeria’s administrative history where people had occupied positions in the country without ethnic considerations and charged Nigerians to again exploit and embrace the benefits of competence over ethnicity if the nation must again attain enviable heights. Former Justice Minister, Kanu Agabi, PDP National Women Leader, Stella Atoe, CRS PDP Chairman, Venatius Ikem and several others who spoke at the event, commended Onor for doing a yeoman’s job and wished him well going forward.
Okpeh O. Okpeh, President, Historical Society of Nigeria, present too at the event, led a team of renowned historians who also used the occasion to conduct the investiture of Onor as a Fellow of the Historical Society of Nigeria. Okpeh informed that, the award of Fellow, Historical Society of Nigeria to the recepient was announced last year but the investiture was delayed because of the senator’s tight schedule, while describing him as a consummate historian who has consistently proven that he is worth his academic mettle.
In his response, Onor thanked the Senate President for helping him see “Nigeria from a practical point and firing me up to make a contribution that will be good for this country”.
He thanked all those present and especially thanked Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, “for being a friend. He has taken a lot in my defence. He has shown me what it means to be a friend. If you want a lesson about how to be a friend, learn under Wike”, he said.
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