History, Tribe, Religion Conspire To Stifle Nigeria's Destiny – Former Ghanaian President Kufuor
| Abuja September 18, 2012 Former Ghanaian President John Kufuor says history, tribe and religion are major stumbling blocks to Nigeria’s growth and development. Kufour said this in a lecture entitled: “Nigeria: Security, Development and National Transformation”, which he delivered on Tuesday in Abuja to mark Nigeria’s 52nd independence. He said that the trio conspired to put a major stumbling block in the path of Nigeria’s destiny. He urged Nigerians not to relent in helping the country out of the “unflattering perception of disunity and parochialism”. The ex-president, therefore, advocated for the cultivation of a national identity based on shared values, tradition, history and aspirations. He said Nigerians should develop a high national consciousness where they consider themselves first as Nigerians before anything else. He said that those in leadership should also share in the vision of one nation and one people. Kufour asked Nigerians to support the country’s leadership to enable Nigeria overcome its challenges. |  Former Ghanaian President John Kufuor |
“In common parlance, development is growth through a series of progressive changes without end. It is therefore a process, not a level. It is a path to achieve certain goals which add up to improve the quality of life of a community and its people.”
He observed that in spite of their diversity, Nigerians as individuals were proud, intelligent, and industrious people.
Kufour expressed regret that such resourcefulness had yet to impact fully to the advantage of the country and the rest of the continent, which he said, expected Nigeria to become a major growth pole.
He, however, said with the appropriate policies and institutions in place, Nigeria could fulfill that expectation.
“The challenge is to accelerate the pace of development by using institutions of the federal Constitution as a nursery ground for producing leaders who are national in outlook and with a missionary zeal to transform this nation.
“This will help to mold the contending ethnic and religious groups into harmony and help to remove the perceived mutual distrust among them. “Leaders so emerging would not be limited to championing the causes of their home state, tribe or religious group, but rather focused on deeds and pronouncements which convincingly and positively impact on the entire citizenry of the federal republic.
| Posted: at | |
TRENDING GISTS 
2025 U-20 AFCON: Check Out All 8 Teams That Qualified For Quarter-Finals
Watch Loved-Up Moment Portable's Wife, Ashabi Shared With The Singer (Video)
Police Arrest Suspected Ritualist With Human Organs In Lagos
PHOTOS: Troops Arrest Notorious Gunrunners, Recover Arms In Kaduna