Nigeria, Nov. 2 -- The Nigerian Civil War ended more than five decades ago, yet the echoes of that conflict still reverberate in our national story. We rarely speak of it openly, but the wounds are there - in our politics, in our policies, in our silences. The South-East, in particular, has borne the lingering weight of suspicion and marginalisation. It is as if a lid was placed over the region, suppressing its potential and muting its voice. But the truth is simple: No nation can rise while holding down any part of itself. We only ascend when we rise together.

It is not an accident that the story of redemption in Scripture begins with wise men coming from the East. They bring gifts - gold, frankincense, and myrrh - that symbolise provis...