The Government is responsible for how people fare in all spheres and states.
This they effect with programs and policies.
Most of what Government roll out as programs and policies is best the type that harmonise the people, going by how unique humans are with different needs.

The Nigerian situation is made more challenging going by the diversity along; regional, cultural, religious divide.

There are ways Government can fashion programs and policies that will bring the people of different background, culture together. A few more noble strides is urgently required along this line to build bridges across the land.

What we presently have is the insinuation and perception of domination of sections of the country over above others, this are the factors fueling calls for sectionalism. This can not serve the best interest of Nigeria as the number of sections we might end up is best imagined than allowed to manifest. It might lead to smaller section, resorting to breaking away at future date, over trivial issues.

LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE.

Those who represent us owe us an obligation of acting in manners that will endear the people to them. Identification with people across the land, has the tendency of removing the repulsive attitude often freely developed by sections of the nation. Achievement of the people should not go without a corresponding applause from the Government, in times of grieve or mishaps, when the people see how their leaders stand by them, the singular act strengthen the bond of nationhood. The leadership owe the people an important obligation of shared values. I look up to a time the leadership will prefer to holiday here in Nigeria, get their medical help locally, same with their education of their wards. These are not bound by any laws, but morally they have key roles to play in cementing fractured strands of the society.

INFORMATION.

There is need for renewed way of information dissemination to highlight what Government is doing everywhere and its consequence on citizens. Detailing where we are coming from, the position we are and our future projections. It is not out of place giving some attention to our challenges, not as excuses, but for people to understand hurdles surmounted towards achieving set objective.
Poor flow of information and the faster pace of misinformation flow create a lot of misgiving among Nigerians, this should be addressed through the relevant regulatory agencies.

FEDERAL CHARACTER.

This is one critical area the Government should pause a bit and work on. Hardly can there be a perfect balanced appointment of people in a nation like ours, a lot of efforts is required to get many sectors have a renewed sense of belonging. We should also begin moves to tailor appointments more along using competence as the sole prerequisite.

MEDIA REGULATION.

A lot of unfortunate statements from those hell bent on leading the nation to the path of acrimony get disseminated by media houses, the social media hasn’t been of immense help as many information that ought not to be passed around is freely shared. This is no call for a revisit of the Social Media Regulation Bill. Rather the National Broadcasting Commission should be discernible enough to filter and fish out those information that might want to set the nation on fire. Those behind this should be sanctioned.

RESTRAINT.

Government should do more to advocate better ways of expression of reservation by regions that feel aggrieved by State or Federal directive or policy.
The way all manners of Groups or Associations, claiming the defence of interest of sections of country churn out releases that can set sections of the nation against each other should never be treated with kids gloves
There is need to apply the Carrot and Stick in addressing many of such issues with the sole and major aim of cementing the bridge of unity amongst us all.

Our diversity is yet to be applied for building a strong nation. Time is not on the side of Nigeria. The rest of Africa looks up to us, first to make more homogenous our nation, then by extension, replicate same throughout Africa.

-By  Layi Deinde