The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Barrister Boss Mustapha on Wednesday declared that the Nation’s Unity remained unshakable
In a statement, he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abuja, the SGF said that the media reports on the division were misrepresentation of the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
According to him, “I have observed with concerns the apparent sensationalization of the remarks I made at the 60th Independence Anniversary Church Service. where I stood in for His Excellency, the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
” For the avoidance of doubt, I want to affirm that His Excellency, the Vice President and I remain very firm and irrevocably committed to the idea of one indivisible Nigerian nation
“We are also deeply appreciative of President Muhammadu Buhari’s consistent efforts to strengthen the unity of the Nigerian nation
“Any suggestion to the contrary is a clear misrepresentation of our common position as a Government”
The SGF had said at the Independence Anniversary Church Service that “as eloquently put forward by the preaching today, the story of Nehemiah and his role in rebuilding the broken down walls of Jerusalem should be a challenge to every Christian in Nigeria who is desirous of following the path of the Christian way of life”
According to him, “for us in Nigeria, Nehemiah should be taken as a metaphor for that Nigerian, who either in the country or outside, would cry to God to give him the wherewithal to use the abundant opportunities in the country to address our challenges of nation-building
“Fortunately for us in Nigeria, our walls are not yet broken but have cracks that could lead to a break if not promptly addressed.
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“Nehemiah first started with fervent prayers, seeking the face of God and pleaded with his King in Persia to allow him to go to Jerusalem to help his people rebuild the broken walls of Jerusalem
“We might wonder what is the significance of a wall to the lives of people. But if we appreciate that in those days, a wall around a city signified security, prosperity, peace and contentment we would understand that the wall signified the essence of a nation-state
“The rebuilding, in the face of great odds, represented the people’s renewal of faith, their overcoming national shame and the reforming of their conduct. We can therefore see how urgent the need for a Nehemiah in our country is
“Just like Nehemiah faced opposition from Sanballat, that Nigerian, with the burning desire to rebuild our broken walls, will also face opposition. Such opposition, which usually comes in their torrents, can only be diffused by consistent focus, watching and praying
“This anniversary calls for a re-birth of the Nigerian Nation and no group is more qualified to lead it than our religious bodies. I, therefore charge the CAN to provide leadership to its faithful in making Nigeria the great Nation that it has been destined to be”
The SGF congratulated the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for their consistency in supporting the modest efforts of government and especially the role they were playing in the peace process of the country. saying that “such partnership has been very useful in the development of the country and government looks forward to more of such”.
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