The National President of the Yoruba Welfare Group is calling on Nigerians to jointly focus on saving Nigeria from its current security challenges and stop propagating ethnicity or religious bigotry.
YWG National President, Comrade Adegoke Alawuje made the appeal on Wednesday, during a condolence visit to the Nigeria Defence Academy, following bandits attack.
Alawuje who condoles the military on the death of three of its officers in the unfortunate incident specifically warned spirituals leaders to stop fueling insecurity.
He noted that while millions of Nigerians believe in their religious leaders, it is unfortunate that they have decided to do the bidding of politicians who are bent on destroying the country for political gains.
He warned religious leaders to beware of politicians who have sold their souls to the devil.
“Our governors, political and religious leaders should rather focus on national integration and overall national interest. Instead of fanning the embers of hatred and bigotry, they should deemphasis regional preferences, ethnic jingoism and religious profiling”.
Alawuje warned that the recent carnage in Jos, Plateau State and the attack on the Nigeria Defence Academy should not be politicised but be treated as a national tragedy and an existential threat to the collective survival of Nigeria.
“If there is a crisis in any part of the country, it’s only a matter of time before it engulfs the entire country. For instance, we have all seen how states governors are rushing to move their indigene out of Plateau State. Similarly, Nigerians should not forget that every State has students in the NDA, just as many of us have friends and relatives within the premises of the Institution.
“YWG is therefore calling on Mr President, the Vice President, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Assembly to take a lead toward uniting of the nation and display the sprit of one nation to all Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic or religious differences.
“We in the Southwest of the country have no choice than to keep clamoring for harmony, love and unity of Nigerians because we are central of the survival of this country”.
Alawuje called on politicians, particularly the opposition, to stop politicising insecurity, just as he called on politicians to separate politics from national interest.
He also cautioned citizens not to allow themselves to be used as tools by unscrupulous politicians who often trade the interest of the masses for cheap political gains.
He warned that if Nigeria is destroyed today because of hatred of President Mihammadu Buhari or resentment for his tribe, the country may have been destroyed beyond what the incoming president or political party could repair or remedy.
Alawuje who is also a former military officer with national and international experiences said no serious citizens or country plays politics with its citizens’ security.
He maintained that Nigerians remain the major problem of Nigeria, saying the major factor militating against the success of Nigeria remains Nigerians.
“Nigeria was fantastic and safe because our forefathers worked together to build it, but Nigerians of today do discriminate against themselves in virtually all aspects. Though there is nothing wrong in an ethnic or religious group protecting the interest of its people, yet such must not get to the level of celebrating tragedy and politicising national interest”, he added.