Deputy Senate President, Ike?Ekweremadu, on Tuesday said that Nigeria’s progress had been stalled because its leaders had veered from the foundations of patriotism and integrity-driven leadership.
A statement on Tuesday in Abuja quoted Ekweremadu as saying this in Awka?in?a lecture titled: “The Political Ideology of the Great Zik of Africa and the Challenge of Leadership in Nigeria’’.
The lecture was organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Anambra chapter at the 2nd??Zik Annual Lecture Series.
The statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichuku, said Ekweremadu advocated patriotic, selfless, and knowledgeable leadership as critical imperatives in Nigeria’s quest for development.
According to him, all these are the attributes of the nation’s founding fathers.
Ekweremadu, who was the guest lecturer, stressed that putting Nigeria first and pan-Nigerian principles were the hallmarks of Zikism, the political ideology of Nigeria’s first indigenous Head of State.
According to him, the great Zik symbolises the modern Nigeria.
“Apart from being one of the core architects of the nation’s independence, his unwavering belief and commitment to one united Nigeria always came handy in stabilising the polity at critical moments of our nation’s history.?
“?Zik’s selfless, sacrificial life, towering intelligence and political capacities made him one of the finest and greatest black men to walk on the surface of this earth,’’ he said.
Ekeremadu disagreed with those who blamed Nnamidi Azikiwe for opting for a Northern People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Council of Nigeria Citizens Party (NCNC) coalition.
Lamenting the nation’s integration deficits, Sen. Ekweremadu, regretted that “never in the history of this nation have we been divided as a people as we are today.’’
He also observed that Nigerians had failed and grossly declined in building a nation out of the diversities or managing the diversities profitably for peace and development of the country.
The Deputy Senate President also said that the National Assembly was working according to the wishes of Nigerians in the ongoing constitution amendment project to remove all encumbrances to national unity.
He, however, added that there was no amount of law that would sufficiently address the nation’s integration deficits without a proper attitudinal change, especially among the political elite.
“I hold our political elite largely responsible for all the retrogression in managing our diversities.
“In the same vein, I put at their doorsteps the task of welding our people closer through bridge-building leadership at all levels,” Ekweremadu said.
?He stressed?that Zik and other founding fathers of Nigeria had answered the clarion call of their time; hence the onus was on the present generation of leaders to resuscitate and surpass their gains.
The event was also attended by Gov. Peter ?Obi of Anambra, and Chief Chukwuma Azikiwe, the Owele of Onitsha and the eldest son of late Azikiwe.(NAN)