Nigeria Needs Healing...
… has all it takes to reconcile itself –Ambassador Uhomoihi
By: Oriaifoh Godwins
A former Undersecretary General of the United Nations, and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is currently the President and Founder of the Pan African Institute For Global Affairs, Abuja, Ambassador Marthins Uhomoibhi, has revealed that Nigeria currently needs healing, and the country has all it takes to reconcile itself; saying, the brand that the country is globally known for, centres around reconciliation and peace, as Nigeria had in time past played critical roles in keeping peace in several countries in Africa.
Ambassador Marthins Uhomoibhi made this point clear while expressing his thoughts on the position of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, while responding to questions in a Political and Current Affairs Programme on Boss FM radio, 95.5 in Abuja, on the need for the incoming President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to facilitate reconciliation in the country.
During the radio programme that held on Wednesday, 12th April, 2023, Ambassador Uhomoibhi described ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo as “the Baba of the Universe”, “the global Idol”, who he said has imparted not just Nigeria, but the whole world, who remains our hero. The Ambassador said, we cannot continue to call ourselves the giant of Africa, when our House is divided against itself.
Continuing, he said; 'what defines a nation, is the resilience of its people and the understanding that those challenges facing it, must be addressed'.
Ambassador Marthins Uhomoibhi who said, our country is not in the best of form in terms of national coherence and unity, added that, the parties concerned must come together to discuss the way out of the hostilities. He said; ‘our country needs healing at this time and that healing must come from all sides realizing that they are mortals and have made mistakes’.
‘There is a need for a new chapter, as we cannot continue to live in deceits, arrogance and lack of humility, and to leave the country as it is, and not do anything about it, will not be palatable for the future of Nigeria.’
Ambassador Marthins Uhomoibhi who pointed out that the defilement of what he described as “certain critical elements” of the Nigerian constitution, led the country to where it currently find itself. In spite of the complex and complicated nature of Nigeria, Ambassador Marthins Uhomoibhi made it clear that, the Nigeria constitution has clearly spelt out the ways by which we will manage ourselves through the respect for the Rule of Law, the principle of Federal Character etc and the non-observance of these elements, he said, normally lead to dissatisfactions, hence protests.
The Ambassador extoled our elder statesmen, the likes of Chief Ayo Adebanjo and others, as well as our former Heads of state, in their various efforts at bridging gaps in the country. He said, these prominent Nigerians have a great role to play in the reconciliation process. He described Nigeria as a great nation, saying the destiny of Nigeria and its global recognition is unstoppable.
The Ambassador, who is very optimistic about the future of the country, said; ‘though Nigeria may not be making as much progress as we would love to see, but Nigeria is not static’.