Chief Reuben Fasoranti, the chairman of Afenifere, has said that Nigeria is facing its worst security crisis since independence. He has called on leaders from the North and South to work together quickly to stop the violence and mistrust from getting worse.
Fasoranti sent a message of goodwill through Otunba Kole Omololu, Afenifere’s National Organising Secretary, at the 25th anniversary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in Kaduna. He said the country was “facing unimaginable violence, declining public trust, and the breaking of social bonds.”
Sunday Vanguard says he called the ACF Silver Jubilee a time for serious thought.
“We’ve never had to deal with this much insecurity… He said, “This is a sad time for our country.”
Fasoranti praised the ACF for 25 years of service and advocacy, saying that it had been a steady voice for the North and a place for national discourse, solidarity, and integration.
He remarked, “The people who started ACF wanted to make a place where the voice of Northern Nigeria could be heard clearly, responsibly, and with respect.”
Fasoranti voiced worries about safety but said he trusted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership and that the “Renewed Hope Agenda” might help the country become more stable. “Our problems are big and complicated, but they are not impossible to solve. He went on to say, “What is needed is sincerity of purpose, brave leadership, and a renewed commitment to fairness and justice.”
He told leaders in the North and South to work together more across regions, with respect and shared responsibility. He underscored, “Our partnership must be based on mutual respect and shared responsibility, not suspicion or rivalry.”
Fasoranti also said that Nigeria needs to go back and look at the discussions that shaped the country between 1953 and 1966. He said that this was vital to deal with current insecurity and protect the country’s future.
“It’s time to think about what our fathers and leaders said and suggested…” He remarked, “This has become urgent and necessary for the safety of our people and the future of this country.”
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