The Presidency says the divided nature of Nigeria did not begin with the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
It argued that Nigeria’s division long existed with the creation of the country in 1914, the year of the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorate.
It added that President Buhari has, however, manage to keep the nation in unity.
Femi Adesina, Media Aide to the President, stated this during an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday.
Adesina’s statement was in reaction to the comments credited to Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, that Nigeria is now more divided than ever under current administration of President Buhari.
“Nigeria had always been divided right from amalgamation in 1914. Nigeria is an inconvenient amalgamation but we have kept at it and we have worked at it,” said Adesina.
“And I tell you that there is no time in the history of this country that the country was not divided. But then, we have kept at it and we are trying to make it work.
“As at 2015 when President Buhari came, Nigeria was terribly divided; divided along ethnic, religious and political lines; divided along language; divided hopelessly and terribly.”
The presidential media aide went on to accuse some people of “playing politics with everything.”
“That is the division that President Buhari has been working at. But you see that a number of people, instead of letting harmony return to this country, thrive and luxuriate in widening the gap between Nigerians. They play politics with everything,” he said.
“So, if they say Nigeria is divided today, it is because Nigeria has always been divided. And all efforts to unite Nigeria and Nigerians never worked.
“When Nigerians come to a decision point that we must live together, we can’t wish anybody away, then we will be working towards being a nation.”
