By Fortune Abang
group, “Nigerians in the Diaspora (NIDO), in the Americas”, says the agitations for self-rule and secession from many groups in Nigeria should be discarded and shunned.
The Chairman of NIDO-Americas, Mr Obed Monago, made this known in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday in Abuja.
Monago spoke against the backdrop of the support by Nigerians in the Diaspora for their fatherland, through wave of flags, T-shirts and banners in New York, as the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), begins.
He said: “The display is true and it is the right thing for any patriotic Nigerian to be involved in.
“Nigeria should remain a one indivisible nation; secessionist, separatists and agitations agenda for self-rule from many groups should be discarded and shunned, those are not the solutions to our current situation.
“If one may ask, to what extent can we separate to be comfortable and contented? Take for example, my ethnic group, the Ibos; Ibos have many ethnic dialects.
“So, if an Ibo nation is actualised through agitation, who are we to say for certainty that will be the end and that the Ibos’ will be contented and pacified?
“I would say no, that would not be, because I foresee a situation where an ethnic dialectic group will feel marginalised, subjugated and dominated by another ethnic dialectic group within the Ibos.
“What will follow then would be for this group, which feels marginalised to coin a name for itself and use it to further agitate for self-rule.
“It is going to be endless, until it gets to a macro level, where the agitations will be between towns.”
Some Nigerians living abroad had on Monday, stormed the streets of New York, in support for their fatherland.
A group, “One Nigeria Group”, was reported on social media platforms to have demonstrated in support for President Muhammadu Buhari and the continued existence of Nigeria as one, indivisible country.
Footage shared on social media platforms, have been highlighting the successes of the various flagship programmes undertaken by the Buhari-led administration since 2015.
The participants waved the Nigerian national flag, sported t-shirts and displayed banners announcing the progress made, while reaffirming their commitment to one, peaceful Nigeria.
NIDO is designed to harness and galvanise the professional, as well as the financial resources of Nigerians abroad, to promote Nigeria’s socio-economic development.