JUST IN!!! Biafra: Nigeria's Unity is Non Negotiable - ex Head of State

 

Nigeria’s ex Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) has restated his position that nobody or people can alter the composition of Nigeria as it’s currently constituted.

The former head of state that led Nigeria to the Biafra civil war, made this assertion on Tuesday at an exhibition in honour of one the country’s fore­most physician, Emeritus Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe in Ibadan.

IGBERE TV learnt that the exhi­bition was held as part of the activities to celebrate the 85th Birthday of the renowned phy­sician.

Gowon, while speaking as a Special Guest of Honour at the event held at the Univer­sity College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, said that peace and unity of the country was not ne­gotiable.

While commending Nigerians for their resilience in the face of untold hardship, he urged them to strive toward maintaining the oneness of the country as a single entity at all costs.

“You are all aware of my strong desire and commitment for the peace and unity of our nation.
“I want to further add my voice to the call for peace and national unity.

“I want to reiterate in the strongest term that the peace and unity of Nigeria is non-ne­gotiable.
“I will continue to work at achieving the much desired peace and unity that we crave daily for our country.
“I am strongly of the belief that for the future of our nation to be assured, we must strive to build legacies of peace and uni­ty,” Gowon said.
He advocated more tolerance and understanding among Ni­gerians to put an end to the spate of killings in the country.

Gowon also advised Nigeri­ans to stop killing one another for no just cause.
According to him, under­standing, brotherliness, accom­modation and patriotism must be exhibited to restore peace across the country.

He then described prayers as a formidable weapon that could solve the nation’s many chal­lenges faster.
Gowon, while extolling the virtues of Akinkugbe, said that the professor ranked first in role modelling and was worthy of recognition in the health sec­tor.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that he tasked the upcoming medical professionals to see Akinkugbe’s life as a yardstick to measure the quality of their contributions to the profession and national development.
“As a university and hospital administrator, his works will continue to speak for him in all the institutions, countries and continents where he has served.

“His membership and fellow­ship of international profes­sional organisations and soci­eties attest to the quality of his expertise,” he said.

Earlier, the Chairman, UCH Board of Management, Alhaji Ibrahim Shetimma, noted that the history of Nigeria would have been different if not for the contributions of the fore­most physician’s intervention.
He recalled that when the economy of the country nose-dived, it was people like Prof. Akinkugbe that came to the rescue before the challenge could be surmounted.

Also, the UCH Chief Medical Director, Prof. Temitope Alonge, in his remarks, said that there was no gainsaying the fact that the country was blessed with talents and icons in various en­deavours of daily lives.
According to him, there are some who are inherently out­standing without doubt.

“For 50 years, the elegant figure of this gentle giant has straddled the length and breadth of Nigeria in many ca­pacities including terrains that were exclusively for the arts and social sciences.

“Today, the medical world stands in admiration as it re­counts the contributions and selfless services provided by the Prince of Ondo Kingdom and a man with chieftaincy titles from within and outside the shores of his native land.

“Emeritus Prof. Akinkugbe has rubbed shoulders with the high and mighty in his gener­ation, not minding his humble beginning; he has made his mark in medical practice to the admiration of all to see.
“He has taken so much plea­sure in transnational medicine and has mentored grandfathers and fathers of various medical specialties in our country,” he said.

According to him, Akinkugbe has championed the dangers in­herent in the neglect of commu­nicable diseases and the men­tion of his name automatically brings the 10 common causes of hypertension and renal diseas­es to one’s lips.
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