✕ CLOSE Online Special City News Entrepreneurship Environment Factcheck Everything Woman Home Front Islamic Forum Life Xtra Property Travel & Leisure Viewpoint Vox Pop Women In Business Art and Ideas Bookshelf Labour Law Letters
Click Here To Listen To Trust Radio Live

Why past leaders’ efforts to unite Nigeria failed – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has lamented that spirited efforts of past leaders, especially those of the First Republic, to unite Nigerians did not yield positive results.

Jonathan said this yesterday in Abuja at the one-year memorial lecture in honour of the late Captain Hosa Okunbo.

Troops neutralize scores of terrorists in Kaduna

SPONSOR AD

Despite 29 presidential orders, security forces yet to curb attacks

According to him, the present crop of leaders inherited a country that was already balkanised into three regions and later four regions.

Speaking on the topic ‘Lasting Legacy: Key to Nigeria’s Development Issues’, Jonathan said that the leaders did their best to also position the country for economic growth and development, but the attempts yielded more to centrifugal forces that reinforced ethnic cleavages.

The former president said that rather than see Nigeria as a united entity, they (past leaders) saw it as a country of different nationalities under which the regions would pursue their different development agenda.

“I believe that the legacy of nationhood and roots of unity were weak at Nigeria’s independence and not much has been done since then to strengthen the base of the union,” he said.

Also speaking, a former governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, said Nigerians don’t appreciate leaders until they leave office. 

Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.

Breaking NEWS: Nigerians can now earn US Dollars. Earning $15,000 (₦25 million naira) Monthly as a Nigerian is no longer complicated.


Click here to start.