A newly formed group on the platform of the National Interest Forum (NIF) has disclosed plans to embark on town hall meetings in all the states of the federation to sensitise Nigerians on the need for everyone to put the nation first in all dealings.
The country in recent times has experienced various agitations threatening its unity, but the group said that it has to change.
The forum made up of professional bodies, artisans, trade unions, students, farmers, and religious bodies across the country said Nigeria, as a great nation, has the potential and capacity to sustain the rest of Africa and beyond if “the big gap in our nation today which came about as a result of lack of trust, lack of unity, misunderstanding, and personal and sectional interests, among others, is closed.”
Addressing a press conference Monday in Abuja, the national chairman of the forum, Alhaji Gambo Lawan, called on all political parties and leaders, religious and traditional rulers, and professional bodies to join the movement.
In attendance also were some popular Nollywood, Kannywood and other prominent Nigerians.
According to Lawan, other countries in the world have experienced similar challenges at one stage or another, but they held on to one thing which helped them overcome, and that thing is, ‘putting their nations first’.
“Our nation is blessed with both human and natural resources. Nigeria, as a great nation, has the potential and capacity to sustain the rest of Africa and beyond. These are God’s blessings to which no one, no tribe, or religion can claim. And as such, we owe it a duty to sustain these God-given gifts by uniting, and understanding one another, building our nation and securing the future.
“As patriots, the National Interest Forum sees the need to close the big gap in our nation today, which came about due to a lack of trust, a lack of unity, misunderstanding, personal and sectional interests, among others. But the good news is, our nation has the capacity and potential to surmount all these challenges, which are not peculiar to our country, Nigeria.
“We, the members of National Interest Forum, today call on all Nigerians, irrespective of creed, tribe or tongue, to come out and join this movement to bring Nigerians together to have a united front determined to put our nation first, before self, tribe or religion, in everything we do.
“We, therefore, call on all political parties and leaders, religious and traditional rulers, and professional bodies to join in this movement so that we can begin to reorientate our people as we put our nation first.
In the coming days and weeks, we will be engaging our people through town hall meetings in all the states of the federation to be sensitised on the need for everyone to put our nation first in all our dealings. We are glad to declare today this hashtag #OurNation First. And we are optimistic that Nigeria will regain and remain the giant of Africa that it has been. God bless our nation, Nigeria.”
