LET’S PRAY: Lagos State Governor
Babatunde Fashola (fifth left) with (from left) All Progressives
Congress (APC) National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, APC’s
presidential running mate Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Rivers State Governor
Rotimi Amaechi, APC’s presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari,
Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) General Overseer Pastor Enoch
Adeboye and Deputy Governor Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire at the Lagos
State yearly Thanksgiving Service in Alausa...
Religion should
not divide Nigeria but be an instrument of unity; All Progressives
Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari said
yesterday.
Gen. Buhari spoke at the yearly Lagos State Thanksgiving Service held at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.
The service, initiated during the tenure
of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and sustained by Governor Babatunde Fashola, is
held on the first Sunday in January.
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, presides.
Yesterday’s session was also attended
by Gen. Buhari’s running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who is a pastor of
the RCCG and his wife Dolapo.
Fashola, Rivers State Governor Chibuike
Amaechi, Lagos Deputy Governor Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, former Lagos
State Governors Lateef Jakande and Gen. Mobolaji Johnson; APC
governorship candidate Akinwunmi Ambode, APC National Chairman Chief
John Odigie-Oyegun, state chairman Chief Henry Ajomale and National
Publicity Secretary Lai Mohammed, among others, were at the service.
Gen. Buhari said Nigerians should have a
right to go to God as they wish. He pledged his commitment to security
for all Nigerians if voted into office on February 14.
He said: “I am honoured to participate
in this annual thanksgiving service. This year’s thanksgiving service
brings together all Nigerians from all states, Christians, Muslims and
all religions in Lagos to thank the Almighty God.
“Religion must never be used as an
excuse to divide us, oppress others or gain unfair advantage. In all my
life, I have expressed the belief that all Nigerians must worship God
according to their wish.
“The duty of government is not
religion. Security for all Nigerians, regardless of tribe or religion
is our commitment. On this day of thanksgiving, we shall all sit
together like this, rejoice and thank God together for the Almighty God
to give us the country of our dream.”
Fashola condemned those who have predicted negatively concerning the state and the country.
Fashola said the state government deemed
it fit to hold a thanksgiving service for sparing the lives of the
people amid calamities rocking the country.
He said: “Today, 264 days after, when girls have disappeared without trace,
Bombs have exploded in mindless orgies of violence.
“Nigerian towns and villages have been sacked. Our brothers and sisters have been displaced from their homes.
Young children have died in stampede while looking for jobs.
“Some of our brothers and sisters in the
military have lost their lives while trying to defend you and I and the
fatherland. I ask you all what else we can do than to give thanks,
express our gratitude and praise God for surviving.”
In the governor’s view it is important
for people to know that they are alive not because they are better, but
because of grace and mercy which should never be taken it for granted.
“Our appreciation must be reflected in
our attitude of gratitude. In some parts of West Africa today,
government has been forced to declare a lockdown of people and restrict
movement in this season of festivity because an infectious disease
caused by the Ebola Virus is yet to be brought under control.
“These countries are smaller than Lagos.
Lagos is, in fact, bigger than many of them combined. Yet the same
virus afflicted us, we sadly lost 13 lives, but today we are not under
lock down.
“We can sit side-by-side, we can shake
hands and we can move freely. Again, there was grace; there was a coming
together across ethnic, religious and government levels to address a
common problem.”
Fashola said it was high time the
people focused their common humanity and those things that they share
together and focus less on those things that are different about them.
“Our languages, our religion, our ethnic
origins are accidents of our birth and not the essential content of our
humanity. If our creator wanted us to be the same it is not difficult
for him to do so,” Fashola said, adding:
“Your faith is not better than mine, and
if you think it is, I cannot quarrel with your opinion. You must
respect my right to practice mine. That is why we gather today in the
Centre of Excellence to thank and praise God together, Christians of
different denominations, Muslims with different affiliations and
traditionalists, because we are all grateful. That is the Spirit of
Lagos.”
The governor solicited support for APC
candidates, saying: “I hope you will choose wisely. I hope you will
choose experience. I hope you will not experiment.”
Pastor Adeboye, who gave the
exhortation, urged Nigerians not to relent in their prayers for the
nation. He expressed optimism that 2015 will set Nigeria on a path to
greatness.
Adeboye whose sermon was titled Jesus
the Truth, enjoined Nigerians to live upright in order to sumont the
challenges that may arise in the curse of the year.
He admonished Lagosians not to nurse any
fear that Governor Babatunde Fashola has completed his two term tenure
in the state, saying that God overseas the affairs of the state.
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