Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, in his welcome address at the 62 years Independence Public lecture in Abuja on Thursday, has said that the elite has a great role to play in protecting the nation, Nigeria, given the issue of restoration of peace in parts of the country.
The “Elites and National Unity” lecture, was organised by the Inter-Ministerial Committee of the Federal Government on Nigeria at 62 Independence.
Mohammed mentioned that President Muhammadu Buhari had consistently spoken about the important role of the elite in promoting national unity and development.
According to him, Buhari believes very strongly that the elite constitutes a powerful and influential block, hence their voices must be heard on national issues.
“Mr. President believes that the elites will build up their exposure and their placement in the society in forging national unity and contribute to national issues,” Mohammed said.
He said the administration of Buhari had been able to change the unpleasant narratives and situations on insecurity from what it met in 2015.
“What the administration met on ground in 2015 and what it has been able to do to solve the insecurity, especially in the face of insurgency in the North-East; when the administration came into office, most parts of the north-east were inaccessible due to the activities of the Boko Haram terrorists, who occupied territory, schools, finance houses, business were shut, the roads were inaccessible, today the situation has changed to the better,” he said.
He said that with the purposeful leadership of Buhari and the increasing capacity of the Armed forces, Nigeria was getting better and stronger, as one indivisible nation and would continue to forge ahead.
“But we all as Nigerians and the elite, in particular, have a great job today, to safeguard our nation,” Mohammed said.
