President Bola Tinubu has called on Plateau residents to be peaceful and unite for the progress and growth of the nation.
Tinubu made the call yesterday at the funeral service of Nana Lydia Yilwatda at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) headquarters in Jos, Plateau State.
Mama Lydia was the mother of Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He commended clergymen in the state for their message of promoting peace, stability, and friendship.
According to him, hate is not an option. He admonished them to continue to preach love and tolerance for one another for sustainable development in the state.
Tinubu called on Plateau residents and Nigerians in general to shun religious and ethnic differences.
“I inherited Islam from my family, I didn’t change; but my wife is a pastor and she prays for me at all times.
I have never convinced or converted her; I believe in the freedom of religion.
“We are praying and answerable to the same Almighty God. We will account to Him of our deeds and character.
“So, our love for others is what matters; we must learn to live together as one people,” he said.
The President also declared that he has a mission to unite Nigerians and assured Christian Communities in Northern Nigeria of his administration’s commitment to ensuring fairness among all religions in the country.
President Tinubu gave the assurance during his meeting with some Christian leaders at the Headquarters of COCIN Church in Jos, Plateau State.
“I have a mission to unite this country, ensure its prosperity, and we are making progress,” the President said.
He urged the clergymen to have faith in his administration. According to him, as leaders, we have the responsibility to manage religious issues for the benefit of all.
The President affirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling insecurity in the country, especially in the fight against terrorism and banditry.
‘We are defeating bandits, and we will defeat them. We will deal with them and combat the farmers-herders clashes,’ the President said.
Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, thanked the president for finding time out of his tight schedule to attend the funeral service.
The governor, who identified insecurity as the majority set back to the growth of the state, said that his administration had put modalities in place to promote peaceful coexistence and tranquility in Plateau.
Mutfwang seized the opportunity to appreciate the first lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu for supporting the displaced and vulnerable women and children in the state.
Earlier, Yilwatda, the chief mourner, said that his mother was a dedicated, committed and loving wife, who largely led a life of service to humanity.
“She was a strong, loyal and determined woman; she led an exemplary lifestyle full of sacrifice and humility.
“My parents, particularly my mother lived for others; whatever I give her, she shares it with our neighbours. That is the woman that we are celebrating today,” he said.
The APC national chairman thanked the president, governors, members of the national assembly, the government of Plateau and all Nigerians for standing by him and his siblings during their moment of grief.
The deceased, 83, was interred in Dungung, Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau.
Tinubu explained that no one can change what God has ordained maintaining that his will and promises are what truly matter.
He pointed out that he was raised in a Muslim family, while his wife is a pastor who prays for him always.
“I believe deeply in the freedom of religion. We may differ in faith, but we pray to the same Almighty God, to whom we are all answerable.
According to the president, Mama Lydia has left behind what every parent prays for – a good son – adding that Prof Yilwatda is a man of character and intellect.
“We have seen his leadership and dedication, which is why we chose him to lead us as our party chairman. You are a great thinker, a progressive mind and a performer. Thank you for being who you are,” he said.
The president further stated that the turnout of governors, public officials and dignitaries shows the high regard people have for the APC chairman and his mother, stressing that the gathering should remind individuals of the values that matter – unity, contentment, satisfaction and productive leadership.
On his part, Governor Caleb Mutfwang commended President Tinubu for his presence at the solemn occasion and his continued support for the development of the state.
Mutfwang also lamented the insecurity which has engulfed the state for decades, adding that people particularly defenceless women and children, have suffered from unrelenting violence, which has pushed them into untimely graves, IDP camps and deepening poverty.
He added that his administration would continue to count on Mr President’s moral and administrative support to deal decisively with the multidimensional monster of insecurity in the state
In a funeral sermon titled, “Time” delivered by the chairman, Provisional Church Council (PCC), Rev (Dr) Johanna Seri, taken from Ecclesiastes 3:11, he said God has given everyone time to maximise.
Similarly, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio described the late Lydia as a humble woman who had chosen the right time to die.
The APC national chairman and son of the deceased, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, said his mother had lived on medication for 47 years and through it all, God kept her.
“My mother was a hustler. In the morning, she made Akara and pap, and in the afternoon, she sold them again. She ran a shop. She sold drinks in the market. She worked round the clock. Despite her illness, she never stayed idle; not in the morning, not in the evening,” he said.
He further pointed out that his father was a missionary and earned almost nothing but his mother made the money and handed every kobo over to him who then gave it to out to meet family needs.
The APC national chairman commended President Tinubu and other dignitaries for giving him a shoulder to lean on.
He further appreciated the governors, especially progressive governors from across the nation, adding that their support has been overwhelming.
Dignitaries who attended the funeral service include serving and former state governors, members of national and state assemblies, serving and former ministers, religious and traditional rulers, among others.
Reacting to the president’s visit to Plateau State, former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar said, with large swathes of the country still under siege from unrelenting insecurity and thousands of innocent lives lost, it was deeply unfortunate that the president did not find it worthy to visit any of the affected states to commiserate with the grieving citizens.
“Today, however, the president suddenly remembered Plateau State – one of the most terrorised parts of the North Central – not to share in the people’s pain, but to attend a social event under the auspices of his party’s national chairman.
“It is a sad reflection of priorities and a glaring mockery of leadership that while families in Plateau continue to bury their loved ones, President Tinubu chose to grace a political funeral rather than stand with the people in their darkest hour.
“Between the APC national chairman and his president, what we witnessed today is a heartless exhibition of disregard for empathy, compassion and the dignity of human life.
“From Benue to Niger and most recently Kwara, the entire North Central region has endured some of the most horrific waves of violence in recent history. Yet, not once has the APC-led government deemed it necessary to physically stand by the victims or console their families.
“Even when Tinubu made a symbolic visit to Benue State in June, he never bothered to set foot in Yelewata – the epicentre of the massacre. Instead, he ended his trip comfortably in Makurdi, turning his back on the people whose tears and blood still stain the soil.
“Now again, he is in Plateau State, not to console the bereaved or reassure the broken, but to celebrate and make merry with his party elite while the people mourn.
“The message could not be clearer: this is a president who would rather feast than feel – a leader who finds pleasure where the people find pain.
“The Nigerian people are watching – and they will remember.”
