Babangida’s message comes at a time that supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi have been accused of hate speech.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.) on Tuesday said that Nigerians must shun hate speech in order for the country to stay together.
Babangida said this became imperative as campaigns for the 2023 general elections would soon commence.
Speaking with journalists in his Minna residence as part of activities to commemorate his 81st birthday on Wednesday, Babangida said that Nigerians should not give up hope over the challenges bedevilling the country saying, “this too shall pass.”
Babangida said: “If the media and journalists ignore the spreaders of hate, they will not have a platform to pass their messages across.
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“You are doing enough to promote the unity of the country. You can change the psyche of Nigerians. I implore you to ignore those that preach hate and disunity. Ignore them and don’t bother about them.”
Babangida’s message comes at a time that supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi have been accused of hate speech.
The former president said that the media can shape how Nigerians behave, urging, “you should put in more deliberate efforts to change the Nigerian narrative.
“You can only do this through objective reportage and I like the debate that is ongoing in the media. It is giving the people the insight that they need to see. What the media is doing now is very good.”
Appreciating God for seeing him through the years, Babangida said that patience is a virtue that has shaped him in the journey of life, while faith has kept him through everything.