Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerians to have strong belief in the unity of the country and live peacefully with one another.

Osinbajo made the call in Lagos while speaking at a book launch, titled ”Battlelines: Adventures in Journalism and Politics” is a memoir by a former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba to celebrate the eightieth birthday.

He said unity was an essential ingredient of nation-building and greatness of the country, expressing displeasure with the predilection of some unpatriotic citizens to use all sorts of tactics to undermine the unity of the country.

The Vice-President said some members of the political class had always played ethnic and religious cards to pit people against one another, thereby causing disaffection.

Osinbajo urged citizens to resist all divisive antics and tactics, saying Nigerians should not fall for any agenda that could undermine unity, as claims that President Muhammadu Buhari was pursuing an agenda to Islamise the country was false and divisive.

He said the narrative in some quarters that the president was protecting killer herdsmen and Boko Haram members was a desperate ploy to promote ethnic and religious suspicion.

The Vice-President said Boko Haram once made attempts on the president’s life, and the incident, which occurred during one of his campaign visits, had betrayed the fact that the claims that he was protecting them were just to cause disunity.

He said government was committed to the well-being of all Nigerians, and urged citizens to unite against all evils, including religious extremism, saying Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, and others were enemies of the nation, urging all citizens to join hands with the governor to root them out.

According to him, herder and farmer conflicts, random killings, banditry and kidnapping in different parts of the country are extant challenges that the army has had to intervene in on several occasions.

”I want to reassure all Nigerians that these issues are being seriously tackled by the Federal Government, working with the States, through a multi-pronged approach. Nobody will be allowed to maim, kill or commit other crimes and escape.

”It is our duty to apprehend and punish these criminals and we are doing and will continue to do so,” he said.

The Vice-President described Osoba as a patriotic Nigerian, saying he had made great impacts in journalism and politics, saying one of the remarkable attributes of the former governor was his ”Pan-Nigerianism”, as he had been able to build bridges and make friends across all parts of the country.

He congratulated him on his 80th birthday, saying he had no doubt that the former governor was still full of energy to contribute more to nation-building.

A former Head of State and Chairman of the occasion, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, also called for unity and peaceful coexistence of all citizens, describing insecurity as a major issue in the country and urged the government to do its best to address the problem.

The former Head of State commended Osoba for writing the book, saying the piece would help shed light on his contributions to nation-building, saying he had known Osoba since the 60s and the former governor had always exhibited traits of greatness and love for the country.

The reviewer of the book, Dapo Olorunyomi, said the book aptly captured the exploits and achievements of Osoba both as a journalist and a former governor .

Olorunyomi, Publisher of Premium Times, said the 341-page book employed the use of lucid expressions which were expected from an outstanding reporter like Osoba.

”The book showcases the great media manager that he was at Daily Times, The Daily Sketch and Herald and all he has done in politics,” he said.

Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu said former President Olusegun Obasanjo was the number one problem of Nigeria.

Akiolu said two days ago, he read Osoba’s interview in a newspaper where he said Obasanjo deceived them which was why they lost their seats in 2003.

The monarch said he thanked God that former Governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu did not fall into the trap and won his re-election.

All Progressives Congress, APC, National Leader, Bola Tinubu, urged Nigerians to recognise the value of diversity and use it for the prosperity of the country.

Tinubu said the APC recognised the place of unity in diversity, which informed the ‘broom’ symbol of the party, saying when they proposed the symbol of APC as a broom, what they meant was their unity in diversity.

Tinubu described Osoba as an open book; a very honest and straight personality, thanking Osoba for the many revelations in the book, which talked about the history, present and future of the country.

Also speaking, Senate President Ahmed Lawan urged Nigerians to embrace unity and eschew all forms of mistrust and suspicion, saying Nigeria was a country that was rich in diversity, that diversity was their strength as a nation, no country could develop when there was no unity.

He said as political leaders, they must demonstrate clear sense of leadership to make Nigeria work for all.

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, described Osoba as an exemplar in the annals of governors, saying Chief Osoba was a timeless and very senior member of the club of governors.

Fayemi said Osoba had every counsel and advice for every generation of governors, saying he was a beneficiary.

He said there were stories told in his book that would be essential for our country, for the future of our democracy and for the good of our people.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said it was important to document the life of senior important personalities for posterity, saying in the book, Chief Osoba wrote some things that would motivate and serve as a guide to politicians and Nigerians to build a better country.

Speaking, Osoba, flanked by wife, Derinsola, and children, said he decided to write the book to document his experiences both as a politician and journalist, saying there were so many things that might not be known and he needed to write the book to reveal all.

Osoba thanked dignitaries who turned up at the event, saying he was highly honoured by their presence.

Some of the dignitaries at the launch were former Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel; former governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi; Governor Olurotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State; Chief Odigie Oyegun, former APC National Chairman; former governor of Akwa-Ibom, Godswill Akpabio; Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa and Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State.

Others are; Alhaji Lai Mohammed, former Minister, Information, Culture and Tourism; Pastor Tunde Bakare, popular Lagos cleric; Chief Bisi Akande, APC chieftain; former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke; Political Economist, Prof. Pat Utomi; and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi were also present.