By Benjamin Njoku

The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, has denied, for the second time, a report that Nigeria would cease to be a nation in 2015, saying no US official or government made such prediction.

He stated this on Sunday at the Rock Cathedral, Lekki, Lagos, where the American historical film, Selma was premièred. He had first denied the report when he led a delegation of US officials to the University of Jos, UNIJOS, on a courtesy visit last year.

Entwistle, who was answering questions from journalists before the screening of the film, said he has checked everywhere, but could not find out where the US government or any of its official said that Nigeria will disintegrate in 2015.

Mr. Entwistle said Nigeria is not different from all other countries in the world with various degrees of challenges, but that would not make them split. He noted that his country, the United States has had her fair share of political challenges and that did not make her split.

The ambassador said Nigeria is a strong country that had not shown any sign of disintegration. He queried why people predict doom for the country rather than work towards its strength.

Tthe US Ambassador asked: “Does any of you think Nigeria is going to disintegrate this year? I don’t. I see a country having a positive development, good government and peaceful elections.”

Also speaking at the event, Founder and Senior Pastor at House on The Rock Church, Lekki, Lagos, Paul Adefarasin said, the church decided to collaborate with the US mission in Nigeria to premiere the film, Selma, which chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr Martin Luther King, Jnr, led a campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition as a means to canvass for a violent-free elections in the country.

He said: “Nigeria is going through arguably one of the most defining moments in her 101-year post-amalgamation history. Shortly, tens of millions of Nigerians will perform their civic responsibility throughout this nation by voting for the candidates of their choice.

“The history of elections in Nigeria is fraught with incidents of violence before, during and after all but two elections—1923 and 1959.”

On his part, the Nigerian-born British actor, David Oyelowo, who played King Jnr, acknowledged the timeliness of his movie to the current political experience in Nigeria.

He said it was a thing of joy for him to make a movie that would speak to the need of the country’s social and political development.