- Hamzat Calls for Stronger National Identity, Warns Against Weaponising Ethnicity
- Says Nigeria Must Learn to Accommodate Diversity Without Losing Unity
- Oshiomhole said leadership should be based on competence, ideas and values rather than where a person comes from
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has urged Nigerians to build a stronger national identity that goes beyond ethnic, religious and cultural differences.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Hamzat made the call at the 7th National Discourse organised by The Companion at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos.
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The event, themed “Interrogating Nigeria’s Democracy in the Context of Multiple Diversity,” focused on the challenges of managing Nigeria’s ethnic, religious and cultural diversity within a democratic system.
Hamzat said Nigeria’s diversity should not be allowed to become a source of division, stressing the need for citizens to accommodate their differences while developing a shared sense of national identity.
He said ethnic and religious identities were deeply rooted in Nigerian society, but warned against allowing them to be used to create conflict or discrimination.
“As Nigerians, we must learn to accommodate our differences while we are also promoting a common national identity,” Hamzat said.
The Deputy Governor also called for greater religious tolerance, urging Christians and Muslims to respect one another’s beliefs and avoid using religion as a tool for discrimination.
He further urged Nigerians to preserve their cultural heritage while promoting national unity.
Speaking at the event, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who delivered the keynote address, also called on Nigerians to reject ethnic and religious divisions.
Oshiomhole said leadership should be based on competence, ideas and values rather than where a person comes from.
He warned political leaders against using ethnicity as a tool for mobilisation or as a way of avoiding accountability.
According to him, Nigeria’s diversity should be used as a strength and an opportunity for development.
Also speaking, former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau said there was no reason for religious conflict among Nigerians.
He urged citizens to promote love, justice and mutual respect, while warning political leaders against placing personal interests above the public good.
Earlier, the National Amir of The Companion, Imam Noreem Jimoh, said the forum was organised to examine challenges affecting Nigeria’s democratic development and find practical ways to manage the country’s ethnic, linguistic and socio-economic diversity.
Presenting the main paper, former Director-General of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, Prof Liasu Adele Jinadu, said ethno-regional patronage had weakened public institutions and contributed to corruption.
Jinadu called for a democratic system that prioritises equal citizenship, human security and transparent governance over narrow ethnic interests.
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