Governor of Akwa Ibom Sate, Governor Udom Emmanuel has attributed the Socio-Ecomomic, political and Insecurity bedevilling the Nation to the Elites, saying the problem, for most part, is the elite and not the common man.
The Governor who is the guest speaker at the National lecture series organized by the Arewa Media Interactive and Development Forum emphasized that the Elites speaks for their interest and not to the general interest of the the people.
He expressed dismay that the Elites have stokes the hate between one part and another, in issues like Value Added Tax (VAT), Restructuring, Zoning and Herdsmen.
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He explained that these issues are not too difficult to resolve, because VAT calls for fairness between the people, to restructure is for all to feel like the brother’s keeper.
“It ensures we all eat from the same pot and no one goes home hungry or deprived, and Zoning means abiding by a formula that works for all.
“It only takes the people to sit at a table and cross-fertilize ideas. You win some, I win some, and all of us become winners. There will be no zero -sum game. The part will become the sum and the sum will be like the part. The equation will be complete.
As former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said, “It is better to jaw jaw than to war war.” But if one set must take everything, we will always remember our languages, our tribes, the aroma of our mother’s soup. Hate then replaces love, and handshakes will move beyond elbows”, he noted.
The theme of the lecture,” Unity In Diversity”, Governor Udom said in the mood of the current despair, Diversity is apt, deeply reflective and speaks to the mood ot the Nation.
He expressed that, though, the Contour of our unity may not be straight, the lines of development may be Zigzag, the tone and tenor of our discourse discordant and divergent, but the soul and spirit and identity of Nigeria remain sacrosanct.
“We need new foundations to confront the challenges of today. Nigerians are inherently united. We believe in the sanctity of our Nation, but we need a galvanizing force to deepen the cords of unity”.
“Nigeria is a Nation that is Diverse, and Beautiful as a coat of many colours”, he said.
