No compromising Nigeria’s single entity – Buhari
By; Sani Aliyu, Zaria.
President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his administration’s resolve while issuing warning to those fanning embers of disunity that the corporate existence of Nigeria as a single entity is not a subject of debate and will not be compromised.
He spoke at the formal inauguration of His Royal Majesty, Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha as the seventh Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria held at the Mamman Kontagora Convocation Square, main campus, Samaru, Zaria.
Represented by the Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwuka, Buhari said, “Every Nigerian must work and search toward bring back a greater nation.”
President Buhari said the menace of insurgency and actions of some people agitating for the divide of this country will be surmounted. He expressed satisfaction that in spite of numerous challenges being face by ABU, the University has been able to overcome many of such predicaments standing on its way.
According to him, this is an encouraging sign of all that need to be done to put the university on the steady path of growth and development.
The President tasked all Nigerian Universities to avoid any form of corrupt practices to enable Nigeria put its education sector back on track.
In a welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of ABU, Prof. Ibrahim Garba had on behalf of the governing council, senate and the entire ABU community congratulated the Obi for what he described as a well deserved appointment.
Garba described ABU as a truly national institution in both its mix of staff and students.
“The institution of Obi of Onisha as the 7th Chancellor of the university has gone further to deepen this unique character of ABU as a symbol of peaceful coexistence and unity of Nigerians despite our temporary challenges” he stressed.
Responding, the Obi appreciated President Buhari and the University for finding him worthy of the position and promised to justify the confidence reposed on him.
He said the demand for tertiary education amongst the teeming population still outstrips the ability of our universities to cope, and it will remain so for the foreseeable future.
According to him our Universities as centres of education and Learning,must constantly engage with our national challenges, and be sufficiently strong and dynamic to effectively do so.
On agitation for the actualisation of Biafra, the Royal Father in an interview described the move as unconstitutional, saying that, “there is a legal and constitutional way of doing such agitation.
“We are in a democratic setting and every Nigerian has a representative at the local government, state and the federal level, so let us use the existing democratic principles to agitate for any right without throwing anybody into hardship.
“What is the essence of our parliament, every Nigerian has the right to vote and to be voted for, so why don’t we use such votes to demand for our right?” he asked.
