By CALEB ISHAYA
A social activist, former Students’ Union President, and current member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee, Comrade Tolu Bankole, has cautioned against recent rhetoric and incitements from certain foreign political actors calling for hostility toward Nigeria. He described such agitation as unnecessary, dangerous, and a misplaced priority at a time when the nation requires unity and stability.
Comrade Bankole emphasized that Nigeria needs peace, stability, and national cohesion to consolidate the socio-economic reforms currently being pursued not the chaos and destruction that come with war.
“Nigeria needs peace, not war. We cannot afford another conflict. War is never the solution to our challenges; it only multiplies pain, poverty, and division. What our country requires now is support to strengthen democracy, revitalize the economy, and sustain the gains of ongoing reforms,” he stated.
Bankole appealed to the international community, particularly the United States and other allied nations, to demonstrate genuine partnership by supporting Nigeria’s reform agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
He noted that true friends of Nigeria should collaborate with the government to promote stability, transparency, and inclusive growth.
He further urged global partners to help curb corruption by ensuring that illicit funds looted from Nigeria are neither hidden nor enjoyed abroad.
“Proceeds of corruption and banditry must be frozen and returned to Nigeria’s treasury for national development,” he said.
“Those who have stolen our commonwealth should face justice. Allowing them to live comfortably overseas with stolen funds, while plotting to destabilize Nigeria, is hypocritical and unacceptable.”
The APC National Working Committee member stressed that instead of fanning the flames of conflict, the international community should offer Nigeria strategic partnerships in key areas such as technology transfer, infrastructure, modern agriculture, job creation, and the use of advanced technology to combat insecurity and banditry.
“This is the kind of support that builds nations and sustains peace. Nigeria needs collaboration, not condemnation,” he affirmed.
Comrade Bankole also appealed to Nigerians across religious, ethnic, and political divides to uphold patriotism and unity, rejecting divisive narratives that threaten national cohesion.
“Regardless of tribe or faith, this is the time to live the words of our national anthem — though tribes and tongues may differ, in brotherhood we stand,” he said.
He warned that any form of conflict, whether internally generated or externally instigated, would only reverse Nigeria’s progress and inflict hardship on ordinary citizens.
“Our collective focus must remain on building a strong, peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria where justice and opportunity thrive for all,” he concluded.
Comrade Bankole reaffirmed that peace, unity, and purposeful leadership remain the firm foundations on which Nigeria’s future depends, calling on all stakeholders both local and international to contribute to the nation’s growth, not its destabilization.
