Still basking in the euphoria of Nigeria’s attainment of 100 years of nationhood under his watch, President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday urged Nigerians not to lose hope on the ability of the country to overcome its present challenges and move forward.
The President who spoke at the centenary church service held at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja noted that other countries had their share of challenges, adding that with love and sense of brotherliness among Nigerians, the country will get better in the coming years.
The President predicted a new and better Nigeria filled with love and appealed to all of countrymen to show love to one another even when it is not convenient.
“Let this mind be in you which is in Christ Jesus,” he said.
He noted that some people at the beginning of the celebration had expressed dissenting opinions, adding that the overwhelming support of Nigerians proved the critics wrong.
“I believe that we must remember our past because if those in the Nordic region can celebrate 200 years of not fighting wars, Nigeria has enough reasons to celebrate. Nigeria will surely get over her challenges.
When the President was called to speak, he called on the former Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon (rtd) to speak first since he had enough to tell Nigerians on how he and members of the Armed Forces fought to keep the country together between 1967 and 1970.
“I thank God for the opportunity to lead the country at a difficult time. The Biafra people were not enemies, I always said that. They were Nigerians and that was what I emphasised
The acronym ‘ GOWON’ (Go on with one Nigeria) made me more committed to the struggle to keep Nigeria one. Nigerians came up with that name and the support they gave us was encouraging even though I didn’t seek their support or opinion when I decided that I won’t allow the country break up.
Preaching earlier, the former Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Sunday Ola Makinde tasked President Jonathan to find and block the sources of funding of the Boko Haram group as part of measures to stop the ongoing killings in the northeast.
Makinde also suggested that only an internal mechanism that identifies and check the activities of the Boko Haram collaborators in their neighbourhood will assist government end the mayhem killings.
While praying God to “wage war against those who are waging war on Nigeria” he, also admonished Nigerians to ensure that “ our words and our actions heal and build Nigeria” because “united we stand, divided we fall”
Speaking on Nigeria’s amalgamation in 1914, Makinde noted that although the British did it for economic and administrative reasons, God has kept Nigeria together.
He stated that the British had found it very difficult to have a uniform administrative system as was seen in the Aba Women riots of 1921 over the use of indirect rule, however” the amalgamation was God ordained as God never makes mistake”
He listed various obstacles which he said would have broken down various nations if they had been exposed to such similar crises but added that Nigeria survived it because God wants the country to remain as one indivisible entity.
They include the “western region crises, Wild Wild West, 1964 coup and the massacre of Ibos in the north, annulment of the June 12th 1993 election, the killing of Ken Sarowiwa, the death of Abacha and Abiola, the death of Umaru Yar’Adau which brought about the doctrine of necessity and the persistent attacks by Boko Haram”
“You now see that we have many reasons to celebrate despite the challenges. We have offended ourselves but God has kept us together”
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