It’s clear that the Nigeria we live today is filled with raging atmosphere of conflict and disunity. This article offers a road-map towards establishing unity in Nigeria.

I believe, like many eminent Nigerians do, that Nigeria's unity is being woefully threatened by sentiments, ethnicity, and militarization and these forces of threats are signaling the nation towards separation and downfall.

Only a united Nigeria can overcome these ongoing rages of dissent and conflict.

The Federal Government must address the real issues - right now; little has been done by the Federal Government to address the formidable challenges of a broken Nigeria. Anywhere we look, from militarism to religious and ethnic conflicts; the Federal Government has done little or nothing to resolve the raging situation.

Even when committees are set up to address fresh violence, the investigation remains inconsequential. In Jos, for example, where a line of demarcation is set up, separating the Muslims and the Christians, reminiscent of the apartheid South Africa in 1950s; the government is yet to come up with a solution on how to resolve these issues.

The Federal Government must be committed to finding out the major causes of these conflicts and disunity and have strong, standard policies with a view to resolving the overall conflicts and division in the interest of our great nation.

Nigerians must prioritize - the burden of establishing a united Nigeria shouldn't just be shouldered by the Federal Government (although a greater weight has to be shouldered by her); Nigerians too have to come-in to ensure that peace and unity reign in the country.

But they have to prioritize. Issues that are foremost must be address first.
The compounded problems that loom large day by day in our Republic are enormous, and they are being handled nonchalantly by the Nigerian authorities.

Nigerians should put all hands on deck to prioritize on how best to tackle the problems of our beloved country.
This can be done through running Community Development Programs and delivering seminars to enlighten the general public towards a better Nigeria.

Brotherhood - this is a necessary virtue in a fragmented nation like Nigeria. Nigerians of every ethnicity, gender, and religion must come together and join hands to move forward.

Rivalry and ethnic sentiments must be stopped if Nigeria must survive as a multi-ethnic nation. The kernels of brotherhood should start from our homes. Parents must step-in to orient their kids on the importance of equality among Nigerians by virtue of a full measure of love.

Putting the country first - Yes! Nigeria’s interest should be put first before anything else, as Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, often says: “I'm a Nigerian first before being Hausa.”

This is the general creed that every patriotic Nigerian must have at the back of his or her mind. Nigeria as a nation belongs to us - Nigerians and that for us to live a better Nigeria; we have to be our brother’s keepers, our country keepers, and our nation builders.

Now is the time to stop being sentimental on personal issues and begin to join hands to move forward.
The road-map to Nigeria’s unity is possible. The Federal Government must run a background check on the forces that are overwhelming the Nigeria’s unity.

Nigerians too have to come by to prioritize and unite themselves as Nigerians first before anything else. If brotherhood triumphs sentiments in Nigeria, I believe the Nigeria we have in our midst, today, will be stronger and more united, and the government of the people by the people and for the people will flourish peacefully in the country.
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Suhaib Mohammed is a professional freelance writer. You can follow him on Twitter (@Haibtext), and visit his blog here: http://www.haibtext.com/

I totally disagree with your concept of a "perfect roadmap" to Nigeria's nationhood. All you've done here is bringing parochial issues to the fore while hiding the real issues with the expectations that Nigerians are still blind and uneducated to the overbearing antics of your people and their allies. Just take your self righteous disposition to the trash because even you as a northerner not matter how religious, educated or modest can never agree to truthfulness and practical solution of the problems affecting the country.