The Director General, Nigeria Orientation Agency, Garba Abari said peaceful coexistence among ethnic groups is paramount to security stability and economic growth of the country.
This was as he implored Nigerians to propagate tolerance and peaceful co-existence.
Abari gave the advice at a pre-event press briefing organised to intimate the public about the National Festival of Tolerance and Peaceful Co-existence, themed, ‘Inclusion of diversities against unconscious biases.” at the agency’s headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.
The event is in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and Pearl Trade West Africa.
He said tolerance was key to eliminating the divisive factors that pose challenges, especially at this time.
The DG’s comment is coming amidst the recent killing of over 130 persons in Mangu and Riyom Local Government Areas of Plateau State and unending communal inter-tribal clashes in various regions of the country leading to an increased number of internally displaced persons.
The NOA Director General who reiterated the need for collective responsibility in advancing the country’s unity, said that divisiveness was alien to the country’s culture.
According to him, divisiveness is being used by a few political elements for political reasons.
Abari said that unity was achievable through tolerance which would go a long way in nipping in the bud elements of divisiveness.
He said, “It is commonplace for people to subconsciously hold implied and unspoken biases that affect how they think or feel about others from different ethnicities. These unconscious biases are the primary reason our society may appear to reflect the absence of inclusion of diversity in our growing democracy.”
He identified the country’s diversity as a blessing in disguise, which must be upheld and guarded jealously.
Continuing, Abari announced the adoption of November 16 as an annual National Tolerance and Peaceful Co-existence Day.
“This would be a day set aside each year to celebrate our unity in diversity as a nation of diverse people, it will also be a day to promote awareness of our national ethics which include; Discipline, Integrity, Dignity of Labour, Social Justice, Religious Tolerance and Self-Reliance,”
He said the event was to commemorate the global community on the international day of tolerance and celebrate the unity in diversity as a nation.
“Therefore, the festival has essential to prime the hands of Nigerians annually on the news to respect and appreciate our diversities while creating an inclusive system necessary for national development,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Secretary-General, National Commission For Unesco, Olagunju Idowu, emphasised the need for tolerance, noting that, “Tolerance is the readiness to allow other people the opportunity to express their views, share their opinions, and practice their beliefs without discrimination, bias, threats or intimidation and is a necessity in any society, for peaceful coexistence to be attained.”
