Nigeria@61: Olawepo-Hashim charges politicians to emulate independence leaders’ virtues

A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has enjoined current political leaders to exhibit tolerance. He said tolerance typical of Nigeria’s Independence leaders helped the country’s unity and as a result, there was rapid social-Economic development right from the period of self government between 1955 and 1960. The former presidential candidate said, […]

A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has enjoined current political leaders to exhibit tolerance.

He said tolerance typical of Nigeria’s Independence leaders helped the country’s unity and as a result, there was rapid social-Economic development right from the period of self government between 1955 and 1960.

The former presidential candidate said, “most of the leaders of those era who were younger in age compared to various regional leaders of today demonstrated considerable maturity and spirit of compromise when facing thorny national issues such as the best date colonial rule should end, whether the regions should have the right to secede from the Republic or not as well as who controls the police force the central government or regional governments?”

On these issues, he noted that the founding fathers had divergent opinions but resolved them with the spirit of compromise and forged a national consensus.

He added that contemporary issues such as how VAT is collected, where the next Nigeria’s President should come from and even simple issues such as the best methods of raising cows can be resolved without threatening national unity and peace.

“It is about time that political parties take ideological and organisational leadership of the polity instead of allowing ethnic nationalities to drive debates with the attendant risks of fracturing the polity beyond tolerable levels,” he said.