Former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai has asked those nursing the idea of seeing a disintegrated Nigeria to perish the thought, assuring that the country shall continue to remain indivisible and united.
The former army chief spoke in Kuta, Osun state, Sunday, during the 60th birthday celebration of Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude.
At the event were the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and former Osun state Governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, among several others.
Speaking at the event, Buratai described Olowu Kuta as a detribalised Nigerian that has continued to show love to people across all ethnic groups in the country.
The war general said the nation’s experience during the civil war had revealed to Nigerians that agitation to divide the country would always fail and won’t serve the nation any good.
He said: “You know that Nigeria is one, unless you remove those people who are agitating, and drift (them) to the Atlantic. We will remain one Nigeria, anybody who wants to leave Nigeria should carry the part of the land and take it to the Atlantic; not within the Nigeria territory. It is very clear the level of integration.
“There are many Hausas here, there are many Yoruba and Igbo in the north. So, we should not allow politics to becloud our sense of unity and sovereignty.
“Anybody that says that he wants to leave Nigeria is a dreamer because we had a bitter experience during the civil war. So, it is not something that we will joke about.”
Buratai urged Nigerians to continue to live in peace and focus on development, stressing that the country should work harder to further cement the bond of unity and move forthrightly in the direction of genuine development.
Also speaking at the event, the celebrator, Oba Oyelude, pledged to continue championing the cause of national unity, while urging the citizens to remain steadfast in thoughts and actions that would strengthen the nation’s unity.