BY OKEY NDIRIBE

ABUJA – The just concluded 2011 general elections have been described as a watershed in Nigeria’s political history, which has destroyed so many negative theories about the nation’s ability to survive and be given its rightful place in the comity of nations.

This observation was made on Tuesday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia while speaking at the public presentation of  a  book, entitled “Nigeria: After the Nightmare” , written by Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada, Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher.

He further advised proponents of doomsday theories about Nigeria to desist from spreading them as the credibility of the 2011 poll should have silenced them.

He cited one of such theories as the one propounded by a former ambassador of a prominent country who served in Nigeria, which predicted that Nigeria would not last beyond this year’s polls.

He continued: “With the credible conduct of the 2011 polls, so many doomsday scenarios that were painted about Nigeria by foreigners have been demolished.”

In his own remarks, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, said the book came at a time a new era was about to open in the country, adding that the new era would be introduced with the swearing-in of President Goodluck Jonathan on May 29.

He observed that Prof. Hagher  shared the  traits  of  modesty with President Jonathan.

Speaking at the book launch, former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice, Mohammed Alfa Belgore,  who represented former President Shehu Shagari,  noted that the author of the book was one of the finest Nigerians he had ever met.

He further remarked that Nigeria was a country of so much diversity, which was  also united in so many ways, adding that the nation had so much potentials for greatness.

In his speech, Chairman of the occasion and former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, said he agreed to preside over the occasion because  Prof. Hagher  always stood for the cause of the oppressed in the country.