Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President has disclosed that the division of Nigeria did not start under President Buhari as widely insinuated.
The presidential aide made the disclosure to counter the statements of former President Obasanjo and 1986 Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka who said the nation had become divided under Buhari’s administration.
Speaking on Channels TV, Adesina on Wednesday disclosed Nigeria became divided after amalgamation in 1914.
Defending his Boss, the presidential aide said the inconvenience of the amalgamation caused Nigeria to divide.
He further blamed the administration of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for allowing the division to degenerate over religious and ethnic differences.
Femi Adesina said, “Nigeria had always been divided right from amalgamation in 1914. Nigeria is an inconvenient amalgamation but we have kept at it and we have worked at it,” Adesina said.
“And I tell you that there is no time in the history of this country that the country was not divided. But then, we have kept at it and we are trying to make it work.
“As at 2015 when President Buhari came, Nigeria was terribly divided; divided along ethnic, religious and political lines; divided along language; divided hopelessly and terribly.”
The presidential aide noted some miscreants have continued to undermine President Buhari’s assiduous efforts to restore unity and harmony to the divided nation.
“That is the division that President Buhari has been working at. But you see that a number of people, instead of letting harmony return to this country, thrive and luxuriate in widening the gap between Nigerians. They play politics with everything,
“So, if they say Nigeria is divided today, it is because Nigeria has always been divided. And all efforts to unite Nigeria and Nigerians never worked.
“When Nigerians come to a decision point that we must live together, we can’t wish anybody away, then we will be working towards being a nation.” said Femi Adesina