By Henry Umoru

THE Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Chief Mike Omeri, has said that irrespective of present challenges in some parts of the country, the unity of Nigeria was non-negotiable.

Speaking yesterday during a dinner organized in his honour by his friends as the new NOA boss, Omeri noted that the unity of Nigeria by all at this crucial time in our national life cannot be jettisoned because all the component states stand to benefit under a united country.

Also speaking at the event, governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Tanko Almakura, who called on Nigerians not to allow their ethnic, political or religious differences to distort the unity of Nigeria, said, “It does not matter what religion one practices or the political party one belongs to, the most important thing for us is to be patriotic and shun violence. Let us work together as brothers to move Nigeria forward”.

The governor urge Omeri to pay attention on value reorientation, saying: “We need to change our attitudes and streamline it towards the transformation of the country”.  He thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for appointing an indigene of the state to lead a strategic agency like NOA.

He stated that he was confident that  Omeri will deliver on the agency’s mandate, adding that  Nasarawa State government will support NOA to ensure that he succeeds in his new assignment.