Oluchi Chibuzor
Nigerian Academy for Letters (NAL) has stated that there is need to change the erroneous narrative associated with the multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural diversities of Nigeria in other to harmonise its potential for national growth and development through national reorientation.
This was the views of the stakeholders at the 21st convocation and investiture of new fellows of NAL held in Lagos Thursday.
In his opening speech, the President of the Academy, Professor Francis Egbokhare, said the Nigerian state has come a long way to allow religious hypocrists to divide the country, and consequently stunt the country’s movement towards social, political and economic prosperity.
He said there was need for Nigerians to embrace good behaviour, as against the attitude of celebrating criminality by ethnic groups as a form of solidarity with their own people.
The professor added that “the hypocrisy that goes with religious practices in Nigeria as well as immorality basically needs to stop for the country to move forward.
“The fact that when you become insensitive or your conscience is sealed against such tendency to criminality and (corruption), and when you believed that those things are allowed, it is more dangerous than those who engaged in immoral behaviour directly.”
Egbokhare added that there is need for Nigerians to re-examine themselves.
“The idea that violence is now democratised, even as killing is now a trending business in Nigeria, calls for us to arise as a people for a national review and awakening of national conscience and lost human dignity in order to move the country forward.
“There is need to stop politicising religion in the country, as we have made religion a political tool, but this should not be allowed in a democratic country like ours.”
At the event, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi; Chairman, Editorial Board of THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi; and Chairman of Editorial Board of The Nation Newspapers, Mr. Sam Omatseye, were inducted as members of the prestigious academy.
