Politicians have been told to prevent the
American prophecy of doom on Nigeria
from coming to pass next year by
allowing a free and fair general election
in 2015.
The federal government should also
implement the outcome of the coming
National Dialogue.
These calls were made by the retired
prelate of the Methodist Church of
Nigeria, His Eminence, Sunday Olu
Makinde, while preaching at the
Centenary Interdenominational Church
service held at the National Christian
Centre, Abuja.
The clergyman, who recalled the history
of Nigeria from 1914 to date with the
important landmarks, said despite all the
challenges the country had experienced
and was experiencing now, there are
many reasons why the centenary is
worth celebrating.
He further charged the political class
against making inciting statements that
threaten the country’s stability.
Makinde said: “Politicians should now
allow that false prophecy that in 2015,
Nigeria will cease to exit by allowing
free and fair elections. They should let
our votes count. It is God who puts those
he wants in the positions of authority.
They cannot help God.”
He then addressed the president:
“President Jonathan, you don’t need a
prophet to tell you there is insecurity in
Nigeria. You don’t need a prophet to tell
you there is a mass unemployment in
the country. You don’t need a prophet to
tell you there is a decay of
infrastructure, bad roads, epileptic power
supply, corruption, kidnapping, armed
robbery, raping and ritual killing in the
land.”
He called on Jonathan to properly equip
the military and other security forces
with the necessary armament to win the
war against terrorists.
He said: “The security agencies should
be well equipped with modern
technological arms and ammunition.
Who are the financiers of the Boko
Haram? Where do they get the
sophisticated weapons they are using?
Where do they get the money they are
using? Where do they get their food or is
there a special market for Boko Haram?
Security is not the business of the
military alone, it is the business of
everyone.”
Speaking further, Makinde charged
President Jonathan to expose the
collaborators in the government if he
wanted an urgent end to the problem.
When President Jonathan was asked to
speak, he invited General Yakubu Gowon
who presided over Nigeria during the
civil war to speak.
In his remarks, General Gowon recalled
the 30 months civil war and regretted
the situation that led to the war among
brothers and sisters. According to him,
“It was not two enemies that fought the
civil war. They are not enemies at all.
We are brothers and sisters and we
thank God for protecting the country.”
He said his name, Gowon, which became
the acronym for ‘Go On With One
Nigeria’, was not his own making but
that of the media. He recalled how he
was asked by the media if he knew the
meaning of his name and he responded,
‘yes’, the unnamed reporter said, “Your
name means Go On With One Nigeria”.
In his speech, President Jonathan
faulted those opposed to why the federal
government decided to hold the
centenary celebration amidst bloodshed,
saying in spite of the security
challenges, the country has more
opportunities that outweighs the
challenges.
