A frontline politician and governorship
candidate of the Accord Party in 2015 governorship contest in Imo State, Mr.
Ken Ojiri has called for more tolerance among peoples of Nigeria saying, the
only ingredient that nourishes progress in a plural society like Nigeria is
peace.
Ojiri who spoke against the backdrop of
current misgivings and controversies cautioned against the temptation of
allowing the current bad blood generated by the skirmishes between herdsmen and
their host communities in different parts of the country to degenerate into
unbridled animosities capable of leaving a permanent sour taste in our national
life.
He called on the governors of the South
East region especially, and other states of Nigeria to seek ways of fostering
peace between the nomads and farmers. He said the challenge of the governors
should go beyond merely engendering peace by creating good atmosphere for
interaction and enduring relationships to making sure adequate security is put
in place to stave off herdsmen/farmers clashes
.Ojiri urged Nigerians irrespective of
religion and tribe to unite against anything that can divide but embrace those
values that unite us. He said the already tense atmosphere and strained
relationship between host communities
and the herdsmen is an indication that federal government's conscious
intervention is urgently needed in this matter to placate agrieved parties.
The finance expert urged the federal and
state government to initiate policies and programmes targeted at promoting
harmonious coexistence and peace among Nigerians, that everybody should see
wherever they are in Nigeria as home saying, all the unfortunate incidents were
avoidable.
He advised the governors and the
national assembly to be conscious of the dangers of allowing this face-off to
continue, knowing the dangers it portends to the people they govern, insisting
that the safety and peace of their people ought to be their foremost
consideration.
PHOTO: KEN OJIRI
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