by Peregba Jerry
….blames insecurity on country’s elites
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has advised young Nigerians agitating for separation to think twice and warned that secession will only lead Nigeria to extinction.
Osinbajo spoke at the LEADERSHIP Conference and Awards ceremony held at the International Conference Centre (ICC) Abuja with the theme: National and Regional Insecurity: The Role of Political And Non-Political Actors In Stabilization And Concensus Building,” on Thursday.
While blaming the worsening insecurity on the Nigeria’s elite class, insisted that the activities of the elites which promote ethnicity and regionalism is fueling insecurity in the country.
His words, “Our political, economic and religious elites that are so far to be social irresponsible either by selfish interest or lack of self awareness and unable to build the social and political consensus upon which a just and orderly society can start.
“And because government must form some consensus, the elites use to paint them dubious one. They promote tribal and religious frontline for legitimacy.
“And I don’t speak of ethnic or religious marginalization which is another elites dog whisper acquire more for themselves in the contrast of political good. I speak of the division between the have not, the have no hope, and the who seems to have it all.
“So the attacks received on law and order are themselves symptomatic and they are driven by emerging critics of the fabric of order itself.
“This critics are manifesting as insurrection and insurgencies along various aspect of our identity,” Osinbajo said.
Speaking on the activities of secessionists groups, Osinbajo said, “We must be prepared to tell our constituency the truth, even if it means or it hurts our political fortune or our popularity.”
“We must be able to say it to our young men and women who for example say that secession is the only way out. We must be able to say to them that that is a way of extinction not development.”
