Former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (Rtd), has declared that Nigeria is a war front, and an embarrassment to the world.
Gen. Danjuma, who spoke Friday at the opening ceremony of the Nwonyo International Fishing and Cultural Festival in Ibi local government area of Taraba state, said Nigeria has devolved into a war zone where citizens are killing each other.
According to him, “There is no sane foreign person that will come to our country to celebrate with us if we continue to kill each other and make our roads unsafe for people to move around.
“As we are today, Nigeria, we are a disgrace to the whole world. The country is a war zone where our people are against our own people. We must put our house in order because, right now, we are a laughing stock to the whole world.
“We must stop killing each other. We must make our roads safe. We must stop kidnappings. If we are expecting this festival to be truly international, we must have peace in our state and throughout the country.”
He further said the festival serves not only as a platform to showcase Jukun cultural values but also as a convergence point for diverse communities.
Gen. Danjuma thereafter commended Taraba state government for revitalizing the festival after 14 years and urged sustained efforts to ensure its success.
Adamawa state governor, Umaru Fintiri, who also spoke, described the event as a uniting factor among the neighbouring states.
He also assured that Adamawa would partner with Taraba state for the sustenance of the international fishing festival to thrive.
Taraba state governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, said in his address that the Nwonyo International fishing and cultural festival was revived to showcase Taraba’s rich cultural heritage to the world.
He assured that his administration will continue to identify and revive all cultural festivals that were once celebrated to unite the various ethnic groups across the state.