By Segun Ayinde, Abeokuta
Former Nigerian president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has maintained that the call for secession of the country by Yoruba agitator Sunday Igboho and the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, would fail as the country would continue to exist as one.
Chief Obasanjo made the assertion at a Book Launch of Prelate Sunday Mbang entitled, ‘My Life and Times a Memoir by Sunday Mbang,’ organized by the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library and supported by Access Bank PLC, held at the Admiralty Centre, Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos State.
He insisted that the “Cost for Nigeria not to continue to exist is much more than the cost for us to make Nigeria to continue to exist.”
The former president (1999-2017) who said that calls for secession of the country by agitators will fail said that “Many enemies who didn’t want to see Nigeria to continue to co-exist would not succeed.”
Chief Obasanjo reaffirmed his readiness to continue working for the unity, peace, security and progress of the nation despite calls from some quarters for secession.
The octogenarian expressed confidence that the “enemies” of the country would not win over those who want the country to still co-exist.
“I know that these are things that are dear to his heart. We want to assure you that Nigeria will continue to exist because the cost for Nigeria not to continue to exist is much more than the cost for us to make Nigeria to continue to exist.
“There are many people high and low who can be described as enemies of Nigeria but they will not win over those who are friends of Nigeria,” he said.
Eulogizing Mbang, Chief Obasanjo described him as a steadfast man, whose virtue had kept their relationship intact over the years, noting that he is a lover of Nigeria’s unity.
“We are here to honour somebody we should be honoured and learn from him (Mbang), to show that we genuinely love and appreciate him for the service he has rendered to the Christian community in this country and world over. And to assure him that whatever happens, we will continue to work for unity, peace, security and progress of this country.”
On his part, Mbang who recalled how he became friends with Obasanjo said that since the time they became friends, they have become brothers from different mothers.
Also speaking, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, who was the chairman of the occasion, thanked the Chief Obasanja and the celebrant for keeping together over the years and assured that the duo would remain his fathers.