Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has emphasized the need for Nigeria to transcend ethnic and religious considerations in public affairs if the country is to regain its path towards greatness. He believes that the intrusion of religion and regionalism into public affairs is detrimental to national unity and progress.
El-Rufai made these remarks during a keynote address delivered at a book launch and retirement event in honor of Ishaq Akintola, the Founder of Muslim Rights Concerns (MURIC), on Saturday.
He noted that while there have been improvements in literacy, religious awareness, and ethnic consciousness over the past five decades, these developments have unfortunately led to increased divisions along ethno-religious lines.
According to El-Rufai, the divisions within the country are fueled by the dissemination of fabricated falsehoods by certain individuals. He highlighted that those who champion religious or ethnic agendas are primarily driven by the pursuit of power and material gains.
El-Rufai pointed out that there was a time when religion and ethnicity were regarded as personal matters, peripheral to politics and governance. They were not the sole determinants of an individual’s identity, nor were they used as negotiating tools in important national affairs. However, he lamented that since the mid-1990s, this perspective has changed.
Recalling his own experiences growing up in the 1960s, El-Rufai reminisced about how leaders in the country worked towards the success of Nigeria, irrespective of the ethnic or religious backgrounds of their colleagues.
He argued that the current obsession with religious and ethnic identities has overshadowed the common bond of equal citizenship and shared humanity among Nigerians.
El-Rufai highlighted that the fervent promotion of these identity markers often serves as a means to acquire privilege, power, and prosperity without the necessary competence, capacity, electoral competition, industry, or job creation. He criticized those who exploit these agendas to amass wealth and lead lives of opulence, without any notable educational or business accomplishments.
In conclusion, El-Rufai stressed the importance of refocusing on national unity and reclaiming the shared values of equal citizenship, rather than allowing religion and ethnicity to dictate the course of public affairs in Nigeria.