Nigeria is not an accident or a mistake - Jonathan
The President said this on Sunday at the 53rd Independence
anniversary Interdenominational Service held at the Ecumenical Centre, Abuja.
Jonathan said that the 1914 amalgamation of the Southern and
Northern protectorates of Nigeria by the then British colonial master, Lord
Lugard, was neither an accident nor a mistake.
He said that the amalgamation was an act of God designed to
bring together the nation’s diversity for positive purposes.
``As we look up to our Centenary celebration, there are
quite a number of questions people ask themselves. People asked, may be Lord
Lugard made a mistake to amalgamate the Northern and Southern parts of the
country.
``This informed why some talk about sovereign national
conference and so on and so forth. But those who are Christians know that God
does not make mistake. God has a reason for Lord Lugard to amalgamate the
Northern and Southern parts of this country. So, those of people who are trying
to exploit our diversity to create problems for us as a nation will surely not
succeed," he said.
The president condemned the Saturday mid night killing of
students of School of Agriculture, Yobe by the Islamic sect Boko Haram.
``Only few minutes after 12 midnight yesterday, about 21
students were murdered in Yobe state by a group that describe themselves as
Boko Haram.
``If you are wearing my shoes what courage will you have to
stand here before Nigerians, what message will you send to Nigerians,
particularly, to the parents of these young students our future leaders in the
School of Agriculture," he said.
Jonathan said that the killings by the Boko Haram sect could
not be said to be political, ethnic cleansing or religious based, because the
victims cut across the affiliations.
He said that though the incidence was depressing, there was
hope, adding that by the grace of God, prayers of the faithful and cooperation
of the citizens, the nation would overcome.
``The challenges we are seeing now are very transient, we
will surely get over them. No Boko Haram or any group can frustrate this
country. These are creations of the devil to slow down our progress as a
nation. Nigeria has almost reached a turning point of where we must move and
join developed societies.
``The forces of evil may continue to move us backward, but
our commitment and the will of God for us to move forward will suppress
them," he said.
The president said that in its efforts to transform the power
sector, more than N3 billion assets of government had been privatised.
He expressed optimism that when the privatisation programme
was completed, the sector would witness the turnaround being experienced in the
telecommunication sector.
``With the successes recorded in the telecommunication
sector, we believe the power sector can record same if liberalised. We have
gone through the first phase of the privatisation where people have thought we
will not succeed because of corruption in the country. This is the turning
point because power is critical for the development of any modern
society," he said.
Earlier in a sermon, the National President, Christian
Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, underscored the need for
all Nigerians irrespective of status to make sacrifice for the nation to move
forward.
He disclosed that more than 10,000 Nigerian refugees from
Boko Haram insurgencies were living in Cameroon, traumatised and victimised.
The clergy, who identified some of the victims in the
congregation, said thousands of them were also refugees in many camps within
the country.
He commended the efforts of the security agencies to curtail
terrorism but said more needed to be done.
Oritsejafor cautioned politicians not to turn terrorism to
political issues.
He said that all Nigerians irrespective of religious,
tribal, social and political affiliation, must come together to condemn and
fight the scourge.
Oritsejafor also identified corruption, political rascality
and kidnapping among the forces against the nation.
He assured that even with the fear and apprehension across
the country, Nigeria will overcome and remain a prosperous and united entity.
The Clergy called on the federal government and members of
the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to shift grounds on their
conflicting positions to end the on-going strike and move the education sector
forward.
He suggested that as an acceptable sacrifice to God, all
political office holders, elected or appointed at all levels should donate half
of their annual emolument to a dedicated account for the poor.
He said that the account should be managed for the
upliftment of the plight of the poor in the society and to the glory of God.
The clergy used the occasion to solicit for donation of
about N300 million needed to complete the Jubilee Centre being built by CAN.
He said that the Centre consist of Auditorium, hotel
accommodation for the use of Christians.
The service was attended by the First Lady, Dame Patience
Jonathan, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and former Head of Interim
Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan.
Also in attendance were Plateau Governor, Jonah Jang, the
Senate President, Sen. David Mark, who took the first Scripture reading, and
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Emeka Ihedioha.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim
Pius Anyim, Ministers, Presidential Aides, Service Chiefs, the Clergy,
traditional rulers and members of Diplomatic Corps also attended the service.
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