Nigerians who believe in pursuing the good of the nation must come together with the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in order to fight against evil and those who perpetrate it in the country.
The Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), made the call on Sunday during the 2016 Khituk Gwong Day in Fadan Kagoma, Kaduna State.
Restating his clarion call for a ‘new tribe of Nigerians’ drawn from all faiths, tribes and ethnicity to pull together, Professor Osinbajo stressed the need to “separate light from darkness.”
He said that in too many instances, leaders drawn from different areas of the nation’s life have tried to use religion and ethnicity to cause division in a bid to attain political and other selfish ends.
“Sometimes political leaders use religion to divide, they use ethnicity to oppress the people,” the Vice President said, calling for the emergence of a new Nigeria that would include Christians, Muslims, people of all faiths and those who confess no faith.
He said that those Nigerians of the new tribe are those who believe in truth, honesty and justice among other virtues that would advance the right course for the country.
“This new Nigeria must be based on love for each other and must value integrity,” Professor Osinbajo declared, stressing that it is mandated in his own personal faith of Christianity to love everyone including “your enemy”.
He explained that Christians have to love those who hate them and despitefully use them, urging them to even pray for their enemies.
According the Vice President, “When they are stealing the nation’s money they are completely united”.
He also praised the Kaduna State Governor, Mr Nasir El-Rufai, and the Kpop Gwong, His Royal Highness, Paul Zakka Wyom, who were the main hosts of the Khituk Gwong Day celebrations, describing them as good examples of the new Nigeria.
The Senior Advocate said that it was important that those who are doing well for the nation should also work together.
“Those who are determined to do good, we must encourage them and we must not allow any kind of division to blur our determination,” he said.
The Vice President also commended Governor El-Rufai for completing road projects started by the late former Governor Patrick Yakowa, which were abandoned by the subsequent administration.
In his response, the Kaduna State Governor said that Professor Osinbajo is indeed “a true friend of Kaduna State in word and in deed,” stressing that he had visited Kaduna State three times since after the 2015 election.
Governor El-Rufai added that the security situation in southern Kaduna had since improved, promising that the state government would remain committed to the APC manifesto that has as already begun.
Also in his remark, the Kpop Gwong said that “This year’s Khituk Gwong is more of thanksgiving and appreciation to God for the many things He has done for us” .
He conveyed the people’s excitement having elected political leaders with foresight and vision who have wiped “our tears in this chiefdom through the change mantra that is affecting us positively”.