President Buhari says with the dwindling economy, activities of the Niger Delta militants, agitation by some Nigerians for the Biafran state, that Nigeria needs a lot of prayer.
President Buhari said this while speaking at a dinner he hosted to break his Ramadan fast with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and members of the Federal Executive Council at the presidential Villa in Abuja yesterday June 21st. He berated the agitators of the Biafran state, reminding them that the Nigerian Civil war claimed over 2 million lives.
“We need a lot of prayer. Certainly, with the nation’s economy going down. Haven’t developed the agriculture, we are still trying to talk on those who will come and develop the solid mineral for us. The militants in their various homes. We need to reflect very seriously on what happened between 1967 and 1970 where about two millions Nigerians lost their lives. And at that time, as young military officers, you hardly heard of anything about petroleum or whatever money you got from it. Look at what Gen. Gowon said; `To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done’ and every soldier whether he has been to school or not knew what the General meant. But, we were quarreling with our brothers, we were not fighting an enemy and then somebody is saying that once again he wants Biafra. I think this is because he was not born when there was Biafra. We have to reflect on the historical antecedent to appreciate what is before us now and what we intend to leave for our children and our grand children. This (Ramadan) month of prayers and service to God, let us keep on these prayers all the times, believing that God in His infinite mercy will listen to our prayers, give us peace, security and better the economy once more, so that we can quickly rebuild and even do more for the country. Let me assure that the time of Ramadan is making us more conscious of what leaders at every level ought to do, and leading the people is not a joke. It means accepting responsibilities for good or wrong,’’ he said.
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