‘Our diversity is an asset’ — Tinubu interacts with Nigerians in France

President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria’s diversity is an “asset” that can be used to achieve prosperity.

Speaking on Friday at an interactive session with Nigerians in Paris, Tinubu likened the diversity in Nigeria to that of siblings “born of the same father in the same house except living in different rooms”.

The president said Nigeria belongs to everyone, adding that unity and economic justice must be promoted for the benefit of all citizens.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us. Our diversity is an asset if we know how to use it for our prosperity,” the president said.

“Born of the same father in the same house, except living in different rooms. We must promote unity, stability and economic justice for every one of us.”

Tinubu said many of his associates thought his announcement of the removal of petrol subsidy was a “joke”.

The president said petrol subsidy was a system devised to benefit a few wealthy individuals.

“They thought it was the joke of the century until I called NNPC. We are tired of feeding smugglers, making a few people rich, and subsidising the next-door neighbour,” he said.

“I met with the president of the Benin Republic today. Everybody is equal now, we are friends. We are conjoined twins joined by the hips, how we will separate each other is with this fuel subsidy.”

On her part, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), asked the president to give “prominence” to Nigerians in the diaspora in his policies and programmes, adding that the commission has a lot of challenges.

Kayode Laro, Nigeria’s ambassador to France, said the interactive session shows Tinubu has the interest of Nigerians in the diaspora at heart.

The president was in France for the global financing pact summit.