Asuquo Cletus
A former Leader of the 7th Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba has described Nigeria’s continued unity and survival after 65 years of independence as a miracle, despite the numerous challenges the country has faced since gaining independence in 1960.
Ndoma-Egba stated this when the executives of the Cross River State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), led by its Chairman, Archibong Bassey, paid him a courtesy visit at his residence in Calabar at the weekend.
Reflecting on the nation’s journey, the former lawmaker, who is also the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, said Nigeria’s experiences in the past six decades were enough to destabilise any country, yet the nation has remained united.
“It’s a miracle that we are still together as a nation,” he said. “We have had a cocktail of experiences colonial rule, the fight for independence, coups, a civil war, and economic fluctuations all within one generation. In other climes, these are experiences spread across generations, but in our case, they are all packed into one lifetime. That we have survived it all is a major achievement.”
Ndoma-Egba likened Nigeria’s evolution to the stages of a marriage, saying the country has passed through romantic, realistic, and bitter phases, but remains intact because of the collective commitment to unity.
“Nation-building is an endless journey. There’s no destination where we can say we’ve arrived. Even advanced nations face setbacks. What matters is that we keep moving forward,” he added.
The senior advocate further urged Nigerians to remain hopeful and committed to the idea of one united country, noting that no serious-minded citizen should be advocating the breakup of Nigeria.
The former Senate Leader thanked the union for the honour, describing his decades-long relationship with the NUJ as “a long and exciting journey.”
“You will think that after 40 years one should be bored, but with NUJ you can’t be bored there’s always something new, either an idea or a crisis. It’s been exciting, and I congratulate you for your dedication,” he said.
Highpoint of the visit was the presentation of an Award of Excellence to Ndoma-Egba by the NUJ leadership in recognition of his over 40 years of support and contribution to journalism development in Cross River State
