Why Nigerians must unite, by First Lady
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has restated the need for every Nigerian to work for the nation’s unity and be their brother’s keeper. She said the country’s future depends on the
- ‘Divided house can’t stand’
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First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has restated the need for every Nigerian to work for the nation’s unity and be their brother’s keeper.
She said the country’s future depends on the people’s willingness to work together without regard to religion or region.
Mrs. Tinubu stressed the need for all citizens to continue working together to realise the nation’s common dreams.
The First Lady spoke yesterday in Abuja when she was honoured at the Leadership Newspaper’s annual conference and award 2025, with the theme: Political Stability and Sustainable Development in Africa In An Increasingly Unstable Global System: A Roadmap for Nigeria.
She noted that the country’s future depends on its ability to stand together in the face of growing global and domestic challenges.
Mrs. Tinubu said: “The future of our nation depends on our willingness to work together across cultural and religious differences for the good of all. For a house divided against itself cannot stand.”
The First Lady expressed gratitude to Leadership Newspaper for honouring her, saying: “I do not take this honour alone.”
She credited those who have helped her along the way, especially women and the young people who have uplifted others and ignited hope.
“This award is for all those who have helped me along the way, especially women, young people, and community leaders who work tirelessly every day to uplift others and ignite hope in our nation.
“I dedicate this award to every citizen who believes that selfless service and humanness can truly change lives.”
MKrs. Tinubu also praised the organisers and the Chairman of Leadership Newspaper, Mrs. Zainab Nda-Isaiah, for carrying on the legacy of the founder of the newspaper.
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“I believe that looking down today, he would be proud of you for keeping the fire of this organisation burning,” she said,
Senator Tinubu hailed the United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General, Dr. Amina Mohammed, on her reflections, saying her “timely insight offers practical guidance and renews clarity on the choices before us as a nation”.
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the conduct of clean and credible elections across the country.
The cleric, who was also the chairman of the occasion, stressed the need for the country to get it right amidst what he called the ongoing back-and-forth movements over the Electoral Act.
He said Africa would not be waiting for Nigeria.
Kukah also highlighted the global disruption, which has again returned the continent as a battlefield for superpowers.
He said: “The African Union (AU) is going to be meeting for a long time. That is a problem. We do not know what they will discuss.
“However, we know that while the superpowers are reviewing their Berlin Conference in the major cities of the world to fund and consolidate their domination of the world with no seat at the table, Africa is again the main venue on the table. While Africa is horribly consumed by a tonne of suicidal internal wars, the world is now defined by those who will fund or become junior partners in what (the United States President Donald) Trump has referred to as the Troubled German American Great Partnership.
“We are not at the table. The boys in Washington, D. C., are discussing the critical minerals as a subject. I am meeting one of the major thinkers in America, the State Executive.”
“America’s greatest task now is how to deal with the issues of critical minerals. They say, while stating the great partnership, the administration is admitting, and I quote, critical minerals are the elements of building and also everything that we as a country need in the manufacturing sector and to industrialise our country. It is hinged on the plans that we have.
“There are some plans. One: investing in mining as a pilot mineral; two: protecting our mining companies; and three: rebuilding our mining ecosystem. I made this point just to call attention.
“I believe that the speaker will do a far, far, far bigger job. But to say that the conversation of making Africa great again, making Nigeria great again, will be a project that all of us must collectively take seriously. Because while Africa is ironically haemorrhaging, drowning in its own blood, and doing everything possible to consolidate its weakness, other nations are moving forward in their domination.
“The powerful nations are insisting that our land will become the theatre of their conquest as they search for minerals. My second wave of this competition: a roadmap to make Africa great again cannot proceed without Nigeria, or it will end up in the cold South.
“However, the rest of Africa can no longer wait until Nigeria has surrendered to one piece of ground…
“The rest of Africa will not wait for us to decide whether we translate, transform, relay, dispatch, disseminate, or transfer the results of our elections by podcast, by telecast, by videocast, or by live stream.
“By God, by whatever means, give us clean and credible elections.”
Kukah said the conference acts as a medium of proposing solutions.
He added: “This conference is about Nigeria, where we are, what we’ve learnt, and where we’re going. It’s about honest conversations around the political status and sustainable development of Nigeria, Africa, and the world, where the global system is becoming increasingly unstable.
“As we present the awards today, we recognise Nigerians and institutions whose work connects resilience, innovation, and service to humanity first and foremost.
“We are celebrating excellence, but not perfection; commitment, faith, and resistant service to this nation and community. As Nigerians, we build our progress as a family, but we also see the strength of collaboration, where government, the private sector, ordinary individuals, community members, and civil society come together in a shared sense of purpose.
“Conferences like this remind us that dialogue matters, partnerships matter, and issues of leadership matter even more.”
In her keynote address, Dr. Mohammed urged African leaders to fix the continent amidst rising geopolitical tensions and global disruption.
The UN chief said the time has come for Africa and other middle-power nations to close ranks, strengthen their institutions and assert a coherent voice on the global stage.
She said: “We see countries today wanting to be what they used to be before, wanting to be how big they used to be before. That is creating a lot of tension around the world.
“And then, there are those saying ‘XYZ first,’ which is also creating its own conflicts.”
Dr. Mohammed warned that when major global actors, including founding members of the United Nations, deviate from established norms and responsibilities, the ripple effects destabilise the international system.
The UN deputy secretary-general maintained that the UN remained a vital platform.
“The UN represents the global village. We may not have the same muscles, but we have a voice.
“And with that voice, we must continue to speak for the poorest and most vulnerable.”
Dr. Mohammed also noted that the problem of Africa is not a lack of resources but a lack of unity.
“The African Union is our vehicle. It may not be perfect. It may be slightly broken. But it is ours, and we must fix it,” she added.
The Chairman of LEADERSHIP Media Group, Mrs. Zainab Nda-Isaiah, urged Nigerian leaders to prioritise political stability and sustainable developments given global disruptions
She said: “This conference is about Nigeria — where we are, what we’ve learnt, and where we’re going.
“It’s about honest conversations around political stability and sustainable development for Nigeria and Africa as a whole in a world where the global system is becoming increasingly unstable.”
Mrs. Nda-Isaiah said the conference and awards were meant to bring people together and encourage dialogue.
“As Nigerians, we know that progress does not come easy. But we also see the strength of collaboration — when government, the private sector, civil society and ordinary citizens come together with a shared sense of purpose,” she said.
Other dignitaries at the event included Senate President Godwill Akpabio; House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu; governors; members of the National Assembly, ministers, heads of government agencies, diplomats, and captains of industry.
