An elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has advised the Federal Government to review her operational methods in fighting insecurity, especially in the South-East.
Iwuanyanwu gave the advice after he received Sir. Ahmadu Bellow Platinum Leadership Award in Owerri from the Northern Nigerian Youth Council, NNYC.
He urged Nigerian leaders to rather seek ways of using dialogue with the various groups agitating for secession in the country such as the Pro-Biafra Group, the Oduduwa Republic and the Middle Belt amongst others.
Chief Iwuanyanwu advised Nigerian leaders to inculcate in their citizens the spirit of peace, love and unity, while he recalled the sterling quality leadership of such statesmen like Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Sadauna of Sokoto Sir Alhaji Ahmadu Bello who ensured the peaceful coexistence of Nigerians as one united country.
Chief Iwuanyanwu described Sir Ahmadu Bello as a great leader who brought the northern region as one entity irrespective of religion and tribe.
He called on the present leaders to emulate such qualities pointing out that nothing in this world is greater than peace and unity.
He said: “Leaders should think of bringing all the parties to a conference table and having tried the use of force through the barrels of the gun and it did not work, dialogue should be the best option.”
Chief Iwuanyanwu wondered why any group would want to secede from Nigeria if things were properly done with equity and fairness.
He said that the use of dialogue would save the nation lots of resources and the lives of innocent people.
“Many Nigerians have lost their lives as a result of the insecurity situation in the country and maintained that peaceful approach is the only solution to it,” he added.
Chief Iwuanyanwu restated the issue of restructuring the country as the panacea to curb all restive agitations in the country, pointing out that the 1963 constitution remains the best constitution in the country.
He noted that the constitution took into consideration the interest of the various regions in the country and called for a review of the present Nigerian constitution with a view to accommodating all issues being contested.
Chief Iwuanyanwu maintained that Nigeria as it is today if properly harmonised and equity and fairness adopted would be one of the greatest and most prosperous countries in the world because God endowed the land with both human and natural resources.
He commended the northern youths for honouring him with the Sir Ahmadu Bello Platinum leadership Award.
In his speech, the leader of the Northern Nigeria Youth Council, Mr Victor Omoba, said that they had been following Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu’s approach to national issues, adding that the businessman remained one of the greatest pillars of national peace, development and unity in the country.
The Northern Youth Council described him as a quintessential leader and an icon of peace whose contributions were yet to be equalled.
The group appealed for peace in the country and called on the leadership of Nigeria to ensure that the insecurity in the land is brought to a halt.
He commended Chief Iwuanyanwu for always preaching peace as well as using his resources for human capital development and empowerment especially the youths.
