Acting
President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday urged Nigerians to make sacrifices for
Nigeria’s greatness.
He spoke at
the Interdenominational church service to mark Democracy Day at the National Christian
Centre in Abuja.
The theme of
the service, “The dry bones shall live again” was taken from Ezekiel 37:11.
Prof.
Osinbajo recalled the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37 and urged
Nigerians not to behave like the politician and the cleric in the story who
looked the other way when they saw a man that was attacked by thieves.
He urged
them to emulate the Good Samaritan, the man who had compassion on the injured,
poured oil on his wounds, bandaged him and took him to the hospital.
Osinbajo
said: “When we look at our country, it is not the state that fell that is the
story, but the story is how the people reacted when you see the nation that
needs to be helped.
“While the
politician and cleric looked the other way when they saw the man that was half
dead, the Good Samaritan had compassion on him, bandaged him and took him to
the hospital.
“Who truly
loves the nation? Is it the priest that said a prayer, walked past, or the politician that looked and walked past
or the Samaritan that took the wounded to the hospital, paid some money and
said treat him, on my return, I will upset the bill.
“The nation
requires those that can make the sacrifices to make it great. They are those
who Jesus spoke about, people that may not be of note but prepared to make the
nation great again. Some are doctors, teachers, young graduates.
“There is
sacrifice of integrity against corruption. When you speak against corruption,
it fights back, so you must be ready to make sacrifice no matter how highly-placed
or small you are. Teachers who are prepared to teach, doctors who are prepared
to provide health services, no matter what.
“Make the
sacrifices required to make our nation great whether you are a leader or a
follower.”
The acting
President prayed to God to speedily heal President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on
medical vacation in Britain and bring him back safely.
He also
prayed for grace on those willing to make sacrifices to make the nation great
again.
Delivering
his sermon, the presiding Apostle of the Word Communication Ministries and
Founder of Christ Family Assembly Churches, Apostle Sunday Popoola, warned
those contemplating a coup to desist because it would not succeed.
He said the
service was mainly to thank God for 18 years of unbroken democracy, to reflect
on how Nigerians have played their roles and seek the face of God for Nigeria’s
glorious future.
He called
for patience with the Buhari administration saying it meant well for the
country.
The cleric
said: “If you are out there like me, you will know that Nigerians are fed up
and are waiting for something to spark. We need to be patient with the present
government, which has something to offer.
“Coup cannot
work now and will not succeed.”
Apostle
Popoola called for institutions to be strengthened through radical reforms.
Like Prophet
Ezekiel, he asked: “Can this dry bone called Nigeria rise again? He replied:
“It can.”
Apostle
Popoola said 100 years after the amalgamation of the North and the South, the country
could not continue to blame the imperialists.
According to
him, the 2014 National Conference ought to be revisited and the various nations
that make up Nigeria must decide the future.
The First
scripture reading, Ezekiel 37:1-14, was taken by Chief Justice of Nigeria
Walter Onnoghen
The Second
scripture reading was taken by House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara.
Prayers were
said for President Buhari and the Acting President. There were also prayers for
peace, security and development in the country.
At the
service were Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President Rev. Samson
Ayokunle, the wife of the Acting President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, House Speaker
Yakubu Dogara’s wife Gimbia, CJN’s wife Mrs. Nkoyo Onnoghen, Head of Service of
the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, members of the legislature, the
judiciary, the military, clerics, traditional rulers and members of the
diplomatic corps.
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