Lai Mohammed: 'Don't tear Nigeria apart,' Minister warns those behind hate speeches

He said if war breaks out in the country today, nobody would escape the horror that comes with it.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has urged those behind hate speeches that are cable to dividing the country to desist from the act.

He said if war breaks out in the country today, nobody would escape the horror that comes with it.

Mohammed gave the admonishment on Saturday, June 17,  at the "Lai Mohammed 10th Annual Ramadan Lecture" held in his country home, Oro, Kwara State.

He expressed concerns over the rate of inflammatory statements capable of causing division and war in the country in recent times.

The Minister urged Nigerians to disregard those who are engaged in hate speeches as well as their purveyors.

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He said, "In the last couple of months, we have witnessed the increase inflammatory and hate speeches.

"Hate speeches have been responsible for wars. Rwandan genocide where more than 800,000 people were killed was started by hate speeches.

"Like people say, wars are not really started by bullets, they are started by words of mouth.

"Nigeria is too big and God has a purpose for making us one and we shall remain united.

"There will be differences, but like the Yoruba says, “Ori bibe ko ni ogun ori fifo” (beheading is not antidote to headache).

"We have been living together peacefully and we will continue to live together, because we have a lot to gain by being united.

"If there is war today, none of us will escape whether you are young or old whether you are Yoruba, Igbo of Hausa."

from pulse.ng - Nigeria's entertainment & lifestyle platform online