Former President Goodluck Jonathan, has stated that “democracy thrives on the mutuality of trust between government and the people, and among the different groups within a State”, .
Jonathan called on Africa nations to harness their diversities and differences for greatness.
He urged Africans to begin to see a little more than their tribes in all that they do, adding that, “your tribe alone cannot make a nation”.
The former President made the call at the 2021 “Democracy Dialogue”, the themed: “Democracy and the Unity of State”, organised by the Foundation, in Abuja.
Jonathan, who is the Founder of the Foundation, stated: “As President and out of Office, I have been involved in managing conflicts in many African countries.
“In the course of such missions, I had observed that one of the major sources of problems is the inability to manage diversities.
“In Africa, we need to harness our diversities and differences, and translate them to strength for a more peaceful and prosperous future.
“Our diversity is often misconstrued to be the source of our challenges, but I feel if properly harnessed, it will be the source of our greatness.
“One good way to make progress in this regard, is to strengthen government Institutions to improve integration, equity, and social inclusion in our various nations.”
The former President, speaking further, said that to win peace in Africa, countries in the continent need to constantly engage in meaningful conversations, in order to reach a compromise on issues.
He added: “The pursuit of these virtues will guarantee sustainable peace and unity in Africa.
“While guns, drones and other artillery may win the war, to win the peace, we need to constantly engage in meaningful conversations in order to reach a compromise on issues affecting us all.
“We are optimistic that discussions and suggestions from gatherings like this will help set the agenda for bigger civic engagements for the promotion of peace and good governance in Africa.
“For us, we carry the burden of promoting peace and prosperity, as aptly captured in our mission not just in Nigeria, but in Africa.
“There is no better way to realise this than through consistent engagement with different Stakeholders in our democratic space.
“Some nations are going through many challenges that have continued to pose serious threats to their unity and corporate existence.
“Democracy thrives on the mutuality of trust between government and the people, and among the different groups within a State.”