Nigeria’s future must be decided by Nigerians without surrendering sovereignty — Ex-Canterbury Archbishop

2026-02-09 - 12:48

By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rt. Rev. and Rt. Hon. Justin Welby, GCVO, has urged that Nigeria’s future must be determined by Nigerians themselves, warning against actions that could undermine the country’s sovereignty. Welby made the remarks during a public lecture at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, held at the Abdullahi Mahadi Conference Centre on the institution’s Main Campus, Samaru. The event formed part of activities marking ABU’s 45th Convocation Ceremony. The lecture, titled “Building Inter-Ethnic and Religious Harmony in Nigeria: Pathways to National Unity,” focused on the importance of faith, values, and leadership in addressing the country’s persistent divisions. Welby emphasised that safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty is not solely the responsibility of government but a collective duty of leaders across political, economic, spiritual, social, legal, and traditional spheres. “That means those in political, economic, spiritual, social, legal, traditional, and other leadership roles must be willing, among many other demands, to take responsibility for guarding the sovereignty of Nigeria,” he said. Welby noted that genuine inter-ethnic and religious harmony requires confronting the nation’s weaknesses honestly, seeking support where necessary, and engaging the international community with clarity and purpose. He warned that efforts at national unity would amount to “vain dreams” unless they were rooted in history and reflective of Nigeria’s political, economic, social realities, and global influences. The former Anglican primate highlighted four key areas in his lecture, including the foundations of inter-faith and ethnic harmony, national unity, and the global environment, stressing that effective leadership and shared values are central to achieving a cohesive and sovereign Nigeria.