National stability a collective responsibility — Senator Basiru

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Ajibola Basiru says the unity and stability of the country is a collective responsibility of all Nigerians.

Basiru, representing Osun Central made the remarks in an engagement organised by the State’s Civic Engagement Centre on Wednesday in Osogbo.

The senator emphasised that Nigerians must continue to live in peace, unity and harmony for the country to remain an indivisible sovereign nation.

He noted that though there were seeming challenges in the country, but they were surmountable through adequate security system, social equity, sense of patriotism, love as well as national identity.

According to him, Nigeria is a project, which all Nigerians should believe in because of the strength which lies in its diversity.

“One of the many advantages of Nigeria as a nation-state is its heterogeneity which could be well explored, if people could be fervent in prayers for national development and live beyond sentiment.

“Most federations of the world such as the U.S. and United Kingdom are recording more prosperity than nations with homogenous nature because of their heterogeneity and unity.

“This does not mean they are not without challenges but these are being managed within the ambit of their nationalistic values.

“Nigeria as a country only needs stronger institutions and ways of harmonising and collecting the heterogeneous interests toward a national development devoid of ethnic suspicion and unpatriotic tendencies,” he said.

Also Speaking, the Field Commander of Osun Hunters’ Association of Nigeria, Adeleke Oluwatoyin, said the security and social equilibrium of Nigeria could be achieved through collective efforts without prejudice to ethnic and sectional consideration.

Oluwatoyin underscored the need to facilitate a system of social equity, which would eschew all forms of tribal and nepotistic consideration.

In his remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Civic Engagement, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, said the engagement was designed to interface with the people at the grassroots.

Oyintiloye said the state government would continue to embark on programmes that would be of immense benefits to the people of the state.