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THE NEED FOR NIGERIANS TO STAND UNITED, LESSON TO LEARN FROM SPORTS 

By: Yahaya Abdulrahman

Nothing gives a country sense of direction, making it stand tall amid other nations like unity. It is only natural that people who find themselves in any geographical boundary differ from many fronts, in view of their respective backgrounds, regionality, religiosity, ethnicity, political affiliation and other divides. These diversities can be a blessing, if properly appreciated and committed to cause development. It can aswell pose great deal of problems as seen in some parts of the world, if used to cause confusion. 

People who are firmly united are capable of doing the unexpected. All it takes is for them to set themselves on the path of productivity and common development, to be honest about it, to effect workable plans and act along. Nigeria, given its large population, its richness in human and material resources, stand a good chance of beating any nation in the world, development wise. 

It is people who cause the much clamoured development. We have them in abundance. The young, intelligent, agile and committed ones who are doing marvelously well in all aspects across the globe are here for us just like the old, who are vastly experienced, characterized by enviable wisdom, and with track records of excellence speaking for them. More so, resources required to propel development equally abound. So are vast fertile land for farming, petroleum and other minerals resources, name them, which is why the West and Asia for example, cannot do without us. They are in every part of the country exploiting our people and their resources. It is argued that no country in the world has as much minerals resources plus arable land suitable for planting variety of plants, food and cash crops - as Nigeria.

Rather than commit our whole to harness these God given endowments, with which we can take the country to its peak, we have become polarized along all lines, consciously or otherwise weakening our strength as a result. 

Question is, how has this artificial division better the lot of the masses who are often used to stir trouble ?. One thing is clear. The common man has always been the victim, while the rich and powerful, especially those in and around corridors of power feast fat on them. You do not get to hear of "we are Muslims or Christians, Northerners or Southerners, APC or PDP" and the likes until their interest is put at stake. That is when they go back to their people whom they deserted long ago in the villages, Mosques, Churches and Shrines, to tell them that they are being cheated, shortchanged, bla bla bla, then give them arms to fight their fellow citizens. Same people they refused to support. Once they have themselves fixed in positions that enable them to jointly plunder our common wealth, it is another round of loud silence and grand conspiracy. If as a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress you choose to hate PDP and its members, kindly know that Wike, as PDP member is FCT Minister in APC led government. There are many like him occupying different positions in the country. 

The unjustified disunity is but a means to set the common man a part, and so deal with him without him having any voice or power to speak out. Even if he does speak, it always fall on deaf ears since his fellow victims are set against him, rendering his action futile. This is why insecurity, hunger, disease and illiteracy have continued to ravage the country alarmingly. Divided, they say, we would always fall. We have indeed, fallen. 

To rise again, we must exhibit the same spirit of love, brotherhood, togetherness and nationalism as we did during the last African cup of nations' semi finals where Super Eagles played against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa. Nigerians, regardless of their dividing lines, wholesomely threw their weight of support behind Super Eagles, which gave them victory. For the first time since the last general elections, the Obedients of Labour Party, the Batists of APC, the Articulators of PDP, including adherents of different religious sects and denominations, Northerners and Southerners collectively saw themselves first as Nigerians and did wish Nigeria emerge victorious. 

Because they sincerely wish for our victory, we were victorious. Lesson here is, should we, against the many dividing lines, choose to honour the reality of our oneness, of our unity and of our sovereignty, we are sure to conquer our fears, mend our differences, even make them work to our advantage, consequently emerge prosperous. I hope and  pray we do. Ameen.