Nigeria can conquer its ethnic and religious prejudices, as they are crucial issues in building a unified nation.
Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo made this submission at the maiden ‘Policy Making and Good Governance Lecture Series’ of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru, near Jos, Plateau State.
Osinbajo in a lecture titled: “Creating a homeland for all: Nation-building in a diverse democracy,” said no citizen should be discriminated against on the basis of his or her tribe or religion.
He also condemned the “weaponisation’’ of ethnic or religious biases for political purpose, noting that democratic competition was defined by societal sociocultural cleavages.
The Vice-President noted that there was recognition that socio-cultural diversity while being a fact of life was neither a weapon nor a weakness. According to him, the most prosperous places are countries that have learned to harness diversity while building ever-more inclusive institutions.
In his remarks, Director-General of NIPSS, Ayo Omotayo, commended Osinbajo for his contributions towards the growth of the institute.
