Leaders must address marginalisation concerns to foster patriotism – Lawan

By Adeleye Kunle

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has advised Nigerian leaders not to ignore concerns by any part of the country decrying the marginalisation of its peoples.

He warned that doing so would only decimate their patriotism and erect walls of division among the country’s regions, as well as further inflame calls for secession.

Lawan, gave the warning on Wednesday, in an address delivered at the presentation of a book titled, “Foundations of Nigeria’s Unity.”

The book was authored by Senator representing Cross River Central and governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Cross River State, Sandy Onor.

The Senate President was a special guest at the event, which held at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.

Speaking, he said, “There is no part of this country that does not cry about marginalisation from time to time, but, I think, some of these tendencies of pull-away are centrifugal tendencies created by the elites.

“It is our duty as leaders to look into those genuine calls when our citizens complain.

“Where we find justifications, we shouldn’t shy away from addressing those calls to make our citizens more patriotic.

“It is a proven fact, as the book argues, that nations are made by men and women, by peoples and communities, who are painstaking in efforts at staying as one, and harnessing their diversities for greatness