As delegates to the National
Conference arrived at Abuja on Monday to kick start deliberations on resolving
issues affecting Nigeria, former Secretary of State to Delta State Government
(SSG), Obarisir (Barr.) Ovie Omo-Agege has commended the courage of President
Goodluck Jonathan for offering a national conference knowing that its outcome
would take away some of his powers.
Omo-Agege in a paper titled, “National Conference is the Urgent Need of the Time” made available to our correspondent said Jonathan’s action is truly sacrificial, transformative and unprecedented leadership of a President who is determined to leave Nigeria much better than he met it and structurally equipped to match into the future of delivering on the long delayed promise of unchained greatness.
Advising the
delegates to make good use of the opportunity, Omo-Agege who is the Chairman of
Urhobo Political Congress (UPC) pointed out that a successful deliberation at
the conference would unite the country more than ever.
He advised
delegates on the need to listen to one another and appreciate each other’s
point of view and position on the issue, adding that with courage and
compassion added to their moral fiber, they would be able to take the big
decisions that would change the trajectory of Nigeria.
According to
him, “At this defining moment of the nation, the national conference is the
urgent need of the time and delegates must set aside their doubts and fears and
embrace the command of consensus and compromise. There is no doubt in my mind
that a successful national conference will radically and positively transform
our nation and affect the well-being of us all, North and South, rich and poor,
Christians and Muslims, men and women, young and old.”
He recalled
that through the years, Nigerians have tried so hard to forget their
differences but the time has come to understand their differences and turn them
into strengths so as to build a united nation, adding that in spite of the time
spent in the wilderness, Nigeria is not beyond salvation.
“All it will
take is undivided commitment from all the delegates to understand the issues
and design a structure that will serve the nation well,” he opined.
He suggested
that the conference delegates don’t have to look far to other lands to find
solutions to Nigerian problems, stressing that all they have to do is to look
back to the nation’s first Republic and return to the core principles of true
federalism adopted by country’s nationalist leaders in 1963 constitution before
the advent of oil.
No comments:
Post a Comment