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Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has urged Nigerians to reject ethnic and regional divisions, stressing the need to promote unity, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence across the country.
Mutfwang made the call while clarifying remarks he made during a recent interaction with leaders of the Igbo community during their courtesy visit to the Government House in Jos.
The governor, through a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, urged Nigerians to resist attempts to exploit ethnic and regional sentiments, saying the country’s diversity should remain a source of strength rather than division.
He said his remarks during the engagement with Igbo leaders were made in the spirit of appreciation, reconciliation and national unity.
According to him, the comments were also aimed at acknowledging the contributions of the Igbo community to the development of Plateau State.
“Governor Mutfwang’s remarks were made in the spirit of appreciation, reconciliation and national unity. They were intended to acknowledge the resilience, enterprise and enduring contributions of the Igbo community to the growth, prosperity and social fabric of Plateau State,” Bere said.
Mutfwang urged Nigerians to learn from the country’s history and avoid actions capable of reopening wounds created by the Nigerian Civil War.
He said while the painful experiences of the war must not be forgotten, they should serve as a reminder of the need to strengthen national unity and peaceful coexistence.
“The scars of that period remain part of our national history and deserve to be remembered with empathy, honesty and sensitivity.
“Equally, they remind us of the enduring responsibility to strengthen the bonds that unite us rather than reopen wounds that generations of Nigerians have worked hard to heal,” he said.
The governor said Plateau had historically provided a home for people from different ethnic and regional backgrounds, describing peaceful coexistence as part of the state’s identity.
He recalled the efforts of successive administrations, particularly those of former governors Joseph Gomwalk and Solomon Lar, in creating an environment where Nigerians from different parts of the country could live, work, worship and invest.
Mutfwang said the state’s tradition of inclusion was consistent with the “No Victor, No Vanquished” philosophy and the policy of Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction associated with former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, after the Civil War.
He noted that the Igbo community had leveraged Plateau’s welcoming environment to make significant contributions to commerce, education, healthcare, industry and the overall development of the state.
Mutfwang therefore called for the preservation of the bonds among the state’s diverse communities, saying its diversity should be transformed into shared prosperity.
“Plateau’s greatest strength lies not in the differences among its people but in their ability to transform diversity into unity and shared prosperity,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to reject narratives capable of deepening ethnic and regional divisions, particularly at a time the country is confronted by security, economic and social challenges.
“At a time when our nation faces significant challenges, Nigerians must resist every attempt to inflame ethnic or regional divisions.
“Instead, we should draw strength from our shared history, celebrate our diversity and recommit ourselves to building a nation founded on justice, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence,” Mutfwang said.
The governor reaffirmed that every Nigerian, regardless of ethnicity, religion or place of origin, deserves dignity, equal opportunity and a genuine sense of belonging.
He maintained that dialogue, reconciliation and mutual respect would continue to guide his administration, urging citizens to focus on building bridges and strengthening national cohesion rather than reopening old divisions.
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