The Companion holds 7th National Discourse, advocates stronger national identity

* Hamzat, Oshiomhole, Shekarau, others urge Nigerians to shun ethnic, religious bigotry

The national headquarters of the Companion, an association of Muslim men in business and the professions, has held its 7th National Discourse, with speakers advocating a stronger national identity and urging Nigerians to rise above ethnic and religious divisions in the interest of national unity and development.

Those who spoke at the event, held at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Lagos, on Sunday, called for greater tolerance, fairness and responsible citizenship as part of efforts to address the challenges created by Nigeria’s multiple identities.

The discourse brought together members and leaders of The Companion, including its women’s wing, The Criterion, alongside political leaders, academics, religious scholars and other stakeholders to interrogate Nigeria’s democratic experience and examine how the country can better manage its ethnic, religious, cultural and regional diversity.

The event, themed “Interrogating Nigeria’s Democracy in the Context of Multiple Diversity,” featured Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole; former Governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau; and former Director-General of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Prof Liasu Adele Jinadu, among other participants.

The Companion, through the annual discourse, provided a platform for critical conversations on issues affecting Nigeria’s political, social and economic development, while seeking practical ideas for strengthening democracy and national cohesion.

Hamzat seeks stronger national identity

Speaking at the event, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, emphasised the need for Nigerians to deliberately build a stronger national identity that transcends ethnic, religious and cultural differences.

Dr. Hamzat said Nigeria’s political system must find effective ways to accommodate the country’s diverse identities without allowing them to become sources of division.

He noted that ethnic and religious identities remained deeply rooted in Nigeria’s social and political life, stressing that the objective should not be to eliminate them but to prevent them from being exploited to undermine national unity.

“The question that sociologists have not told us is how we marry our culture and democracy, without losing our identity and putting it into our democratic setting. And I think that will be the issue for us,” he said.

The Deputy Governor urged Nigerians to accommodate their differences while promoting a common national identity.

He also advocated greater religious tolerance and adherence to the core teachings of Islam and Christianity, urging citizens to respect other faiths rather than use religion as a basis for discrimination.

Dr. Hamzat further emphasised the importance of culture in strengthening national unity and called on Nigerians to preserve their cultural heritage while developing a shared sense of identity.

Oshiomhole: Shun ethnic, religious divisions

In his keynote address, Senator Adams Oshiomhole called on Nigerians to reject ethnic and religious divisions and build a nation where leadership is determined by competence, ideas and values rather than place of birth or religious affiliation.

He said ethnicity and religion should not be used as tools for political mobilisation or to shield leaders from accountability.

Sen. Oshiomhole argued that Nigeria’s diversity should be regarded as an asset capable of driving national development rather than a source of division.

“Our ethnicity shouldn’t be a source of challenge. It should give us all of the things that we need to be the greatest country, not only in Africa but in the world,” he said.

He said ethnicity became dysfunctional when political actors used it to substitute identity for ideas and competence.

“Nobody should be rewarded or punished on account of an accident of birth. Ethnicity has very little or no role to play, except to function as a tool in the hands of a segment of the political elite who substitute ethnicity in place of ideas,” he said.

The senator urged political leaders and citizens to embrace a broader Nigerian identity, noting that the country’s abundant human and natural resources could make it one of the greatest nations in Africa and the world if properly harnessed.

Shekarau calls for religious tolerance

Chairman of the occasion and former Governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, called for greater religious tolerance and understanding among Nigerians.

Sen. Shuaib presenting an Award of Appreciation for participation to Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, with the support of the Amir, Imam Nojeem Jimoh.

Mall. Shekarau said there was no justification for religious conflict in a country where citizens, regardless of their faith, were all creations of Allah.

He urged Nigerians to deepen their understanding of the teachings of their respective religions, noting that faiths promote values such as love, kindness, justice and respect for others.

Former NAHCON Chairman and Chairman of Fajr Centre, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, welcoming the Deputy Governor to the event, with Amir Nojeem Jimoh behind them.

According to him, if Nigerians genuinely practised the teachings of their religions, the country would become a better place to live.

He cautioned against allowing religious differences to fuel conflict and division, while identifying consultation, fairness and respect for divergent views as essential principles of politics and good governance.

The former governor also cautioned political leaders against pursuing personal interests at the expense of the people.

Jinadu traces ethnic politics to colonial era

In his lecture, titled “Nigeria’s Political Landscape and the Ethno-Religious Divides: Interrogating Nigeria’s Democracy in the Context of Multi-Diversity,” Prof Liasu Adele Jinadu identified ethnicity as a major factor that has shaped Nigeria’s political development since the colonial period.

The former ASCON Director-General examined the country’s ethno-regional political structure and multi-party system, arguing that political elites had historically exploited ethnic identities to establish patron-client relationships and secure political support.

He said such practices had weakened state institutions and undermined the autonomy of government.

Imam Nojeem Jimoh, alongside Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, presenting an Award of Appreciation for participation to Prof. Liasu Jinadu

According to him, ethnicity had consequently been used to mask issues of political impunity, corruption, patronage and abuse of political power.

Prof. Jinadu called for citizens to be empowered to participate meaningfully in governance irrespective of their ethnic or religious identities.

He maintained that the denial of economic and social opportunities, transparency, protective security and other basic freedoms prevented citizens from fully exercising their rights.

He therefore called for a political system that places citizenship, human security and human development above ethnic interests, in line with the principles of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.

The Companion’s national engagement

L-R: Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Imam Noreem Jimoh and Prof Liasu Adele Jinadu at the event.

Earlier in his welcome address, the National Amir of The Companion, Imam Noreem Jimoh, said the organisation convened the discourse to critically examine Nigeria’s democratic journey and seek practical ways of making democracy work more effectively within the context of the country’s multiple identities.

Imam Jimoh said Nigeria’s enormous ethnic, linguistic, religious, cultural, regional, economic and social diversity remained both a source of strength and a major challenge to nation building.

He noted that while the country’s diversity gives it significant potential, its effective management remained critical to the success of its democracy.

According to him, the ability of the democratic system to accommodate and harness these differences was one of the key issues the organisation sought to address through the discourse.

The 7th National Discourse therefore reflected The Companion’s broader commitment to providing platforms for constructive engagement on issues of national importance and bringing together voices from politics, academia, religion and other sectors to contribute to Nigeria’s development.

Beautiful faces at the event