Former President, Shehu Shagari has stressed the need for Nigeria to remain united irrespective of the religious, ethnic and political differences of the people.
The second republic president stated this on Saturday when he hosted the Sokoto state governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko to the annual Ramadan breaking of fast at his country home in Shagari at the weekend.
Shagari admonished that “God has created us with diverse backgrounds for us to be together as one and indivisible entity called Nigeria and it should please me if it remained so.”
The elder statesman, however said, “I have no regrets serving Nigeria in all the capacities I have served in and I am humbly as well as strongly proud to be a Nigerian.
“This is a spirit that all patriotic Nigerians must emulate if the Nigerian nation is to achieve an enviable height of socio-economic development to be at par with her contemporaries,” he added.
He however, urged Nigerians not to abandon their roots, and said; “we should always be proud of our ancestral homes and we should never abandon them in favour of any foster homes, towns, cities or countries.”
On the Ramadan, the former president said the period was a time for sharing amongst the Muslim faithful of the abundant rewards from God.
“We have a long lasting cordial relationship between us and this ‘insha Allahu’ should be sustained for posterity and eternity,” Alhaji Shagari advised.
Governor Wamakko had commended Shagari for the Ramadan gesture, saying; “it is obvious and necessary for me to respect elders as it is part of our culture and tradition to do this.”
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