The National Association of Seadogs (NAS) has called for the emergence of new breed of nation builders to enhance the country’s unity, growth and development.
Several discussants at the Town Hall Meeting of the association, also known as Pyrates Confraternity, made the call on Saturday in Abuja.
Mr Dike Chukwumerije said that Nigeria was not excelling as a result of lack of committed leaders who had the country at heart and willing to do the right thing.
“We are pushing for the emergence of nation builders; this is one of the major problems facing this nation, which we need to overcome if we must move forward.
“We have the opportunity to show the world that we can build this nation; our advancement in getting along is one of the basic solutions, we have passed the age of petition and diplomacy.
“This is the age of action with the right people if we must move forward,’’ he said.
Chukwumerije, however, identified the qualities of a nation builder as a citizen who must see him or herself as Nigerian, one who must possess special kind of patriotism, in respect of the country’s values and ideals.
Similarly, Mr Chiemeka Ozumba, NAS First Mate, called on Nigerians to have a change of attitude to things that bring down the name of the country and think of progress.
Ozumba called on Nigerians to hold their political leaders accountable for whatever they had promised before the elections, adding that it was the only way the country could develop.
He also called on individuals to always contribute their quota toward meaningful development in the areas they find themselves.
For Mr Stanley Nwobodo, President, Abuja Branch of NAS, there is an urgent need to call on the youths not to lose hope in the country, but find a way to contribute their quota.
“We, as the youths, must have the power of positive thinking if we are to build this nation, we must act positively in whatever we are doing or what we have undertaken to do.
Also, Mr Frank Okafor, Area 8 mate and Chairman of Northern Region of the association, pointed out that the country was better when the people did things together; as against when people began to become self-centered and parochial.
Okafor said that NAS had always stood against tribalism or ethnicity, adding that countries that promoted such divisions would not make progress.
“We submitted a bill for national integration to the then constitutional review conference, our members in the incoming National Assembly will bring up the bill again to be pass into law,’’ he stressed.
On his part, Mr John Oke, the National Publicity Secretary of NAS, called for unity among Nigerians, adding that NAS town hall meeting was to strategise on how the country would remain together and strong.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the town hall meeting had in attendance various resource persons as discussants, including Ms Moji Makanjuola, a former News Editor with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).
NNN also reports that NAS had on Friday, May 3, offered a medical outreach where different kind of drugs were guven to residents of Dakibiyu community, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
