A repented Boko Haram Commander, Adamu Rugurugu has invited God’s anger and curse on the top leaders of the group for misleading them and forcefully conscripting them into the group.
In a video clip, the ‘born-again’ Rugurugu, said: “the leaders (top commanders) had misled us and only God can avenge on our behalf because most of us were forcefully abducted from our homes, marched to Sambisa Forest, conscripted into their evil ideologies, persecuted and ill-treated because there is nothing that we have not seen.
“We were mobilized and stationed at Sambisa Forest, busy holding the horn while the leaders (top commanders) are milking the cow.
“Those sipping the milk are different from those holding the horns, we are the ones holding the horns, while they are busy drinking the milk.
“We cheated ourselves, and we will not go back again since God has now delivered us out of this predicament, we returned to the community and soldiers have accepted us.
“The leaders are not attending the battle, it is only the low-ranking members that carry guns, have you ever heard of any ‘Khadi’ or ‘Wazir’ leading the battle on the frontlines? They will say you are doing this thing for the sake of God and when you are killed, paradise will be your final abode, I swear to God this is a scam, you are not going to any paradise.
“Personally, to my brothers who are still inside the forest, we choose to lay our arms and surrender ourselves in order to turn a good leaf.
“You should become a responsible man, everybody will praise you and government is living up to its promise, they are very vigilant, anybody who did not repent and adjust his attitudes, action will surely be taken against him.”
The authorities of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) are alleged to be selling job opportunities at the institution to applicants seeking for jobs at N1.5 million each.
Information has it that staff in the office of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Aliyu Shugaba and the Registrar, Tijjani Bukar are deeply involved in the sale of the employment letters.
It was gathered that the appointment letters issued to some of the ‘beneficiaries’ mostly for non-academic jobs this month were backdated to 2018.
Inside sources hinted: “Some of the new recruits received their appointment letters on Friday, and by Sunday, they were enrolled into the IPPIS, while several other staff who have received their employment letters since 2020 at the university, are yet to be enrolled.”
Efforts at speaking to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shugaba were abortive as calls and text messages sent to his phone were not responded to
President Muhammadu Buhari has made it known that the ongoing efforts to reduce poverty in the country has led to a situation where at present, 1.6 million poor and vulnerable households, comprising more than 8 million individuals are benefiting from the Conditional Cash Transfer program, while N300 billion has been disbursed to farmers.
Speaking virtually at the opening ceremony of the 14th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, the President said that the National Social Register of poor and vulnerable Nigerians had 32.6 million persons from 7 million poor and vulnerable households identified, imploring bankers to play a stronger role in improving livelihoods.
“From this number, 1.6 million poor and vulnerable households, comprising more than 8 million individuals are currently benefiting from the Conditional Cash Transfer program, which pays a bi-monthly stipend of N10, 000 per household.”
President Buhari said that the National Social Investment Programme is the biggest in Sub-Sahara Africa and one of the largest in the world.
“Some of the various initiatives embarked upon to boost agric trade in Nigeria include the Anchor Borrowers Programme through which the Central Bank of Nigeria had made more than 300 billion Naira available to over 3.1 million smallholder farmers of 21 different commodities including Rice, Wheat, Maize, Cotton, Cassava, Poultry, Soybeans, Groundnut, Fish, cultivating over 3.8 million hectares of farmland.
“It is on record that 80% of rice consumed in Nigeria is now produced locally.’’
President Buhari said that last year, he approved the establishment of InfraCo Plc, a world-class infrastructure development vehicle, wholly focused on Nigeria, with combined debt and equity take-off capital of N15 trillion, managed by an independent infrastructure Fund Manager.
“The Solar Power Naija project was launched in April 2021 with the aim of delivering 5 million off-grid solar connections to Nigerian households. In May 2021, the Rural Electrification Agency announced the planned deployment of solar-powered grids to 200 Primary Health Centres and 104 Unity Schools nationwide.
“Under the Family Homes Fund Limited, Social Housing programme incorporated by the Federal Government of Nigeria, more than two thousand hectares of land with title documents have been issued by 24 states with the capacity to accommodate about 65,000 new homes. The Central Bank of Nigeria is providing a N200 Billion financing facility, with a guarantee by the Federal Government.”
The President said that the theme of the conference: “Economic Recovery, Inclusion, and Transformation: The Role of Banking and Finance’’ was most appropriate, following the global shocks from Covid-19.
“I salute the Institute and the entire banking and finance industry for the commitment towards charting a practical path for economic recovery and transformation of our country, Nigeria, and by extension Africa as epitomized by the theme of your conference.
“I commend the financial services industry for its interventions and contributions towards the promotion of financial inclusion and literacy in our country. And more importantly, the roles played by the banks in fostering economic growth of the country.
“I am confident that the speakers that have been carefully selected to contribute to conference will share insights that will help individuals, businesses and governments at all levels make necessary adjustments and take the right steps towards our collective resolve to position Nigeria as one of the top economies in the world.”
The President said that a report from the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product grew 5.01 per cent in the second quarter of 2021; the strongest rise since the fourth quarter of 2014.
“This is cheery news and an indication that the efforts of this administration at repositioning the economy is paying off.”
He advised the bankers and financial institutions to leverage on the abundant business opportunities to grow the economy.
President Buhari implored financial institutions to play stronger role in making sure the Nigerian Small and Medium Enterprises were fit for purpose, with support in full implementation of “Agreement”.
“Indeed financial intermediary could not be any more relevant than at a time like this. We need you, the banks to drive value creation by developing new technologies, scaling payment infrastructure to serve the diversified economies expected to benefit from this Agreement.”
The President said that technological innovation is also important in the modern business terrain, and that most transactions now take place online given the advent of the “Internet of Things.
“As we continue to progress towards the next frontiers of digitization, we must harness all opportunities while being mindful of the inherent risks. For example, the protection of data is now of utmost importance to provide users with more secure access to the online space.’’
President Buhari said that the Covid-19 pandemic changed everything in the world, from interaction, work, communication to general lifestyle, noting that the epidemic also triggered new opportunities which helped to reshape the economy in the areas of digital transformation, trans-African trade, financial inclusion, security, workforce of the future, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, processing, supply, and logistics.
“As we look beyond the effects of the pandemic to the future, there are bountiful opportunities ahead of us. As you all may know, the African Continental Free Trade Area, of which Nigeria is subscribed, is not only an opportunity for the growth of trade but also the growth of Pan African businesses.
“It portends opportunities for our teeming youth population, the women, the creative industry, the digital economy, the financial services sector, agricultural value chain, commerce, industry, education and indeed every aspect of the economy as Nigerians will have unfettered access to the over 1.3billion consumer market.”
The President commended CBN, working in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee, for providing single-digit financing to young Nigerians in the fields of fashion, film, music and Information Technology through establishment of the Creative Industry Financing Initiative.
In a goodwill message, President Paul Kagame of Republic of Rwanda said that exploring new technology in the banking sector, with more focus on innovation, will enhance financial inclusion.
“The banking sector can lead the way in integration. Banking is about trust.”
This was even as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele said that the regulatory body had been working with the Bankers Committee to scale the challenges posed by Covid-19, which include reduction of interest rates on loans, increasing the moratorium for payments, and injecting N3 trillion loans in the private sector.
“We do expect that the pace of inflation will moderate as we approach the harvest season.”
He assured that banks remain strong, resilient and healthy.
He said the N15 trillion infrastructure fund will be launched in October, 2021, while innovations like the Nigeria/International Financial will provide a gateway for capital and investments, and digital currency, e-naira, will enhance inclusion.
Six Nigerians: Abdurrahman Ado Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf and three others have entered the list of United Arab Emirates (UAE) as confirmed terrorists’ sponsors.
Other Nigerians, whose names were released as among 38 international terrorists’ sponsors from different countries are Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad
A state-run WAM news agency, today, September 14, said that the listing of the new terrorists’ sponsors came within the framework of the UAE’s efforts to target and disrupt networks associated with the financing of terrorism and its associated activities.
The UAE has therefore labeled four Emiratis, two Lebanese, eight Yemenis, five Syrians, five Iranians, six Nigerians, two Iraqis, one each from India, Afghanistan, Britain, Saint Kitts-Navis, Russia, and Jordan as belonging in the group of sponsors of terrorism.
The names of the confirmed terrorists financiers and their countries are given below:
1. Ahmed Mohammed Abdulla Mohammed Alshaiba Alnuaimi (UAE)
2. Mohamed Saqer Yousif Saqer Al Zaabi (UAE)
3. Hamad Mohammed Rahmah Humaid Alshamsi (UAE)
4. Saeed Naser Saeed Naser Alteneiji (UAE)
5. Hassan Hussain Tabaja (Lebanon)
6. Adham Hussain Tabaja (Lebanon)
7. Mohammed Ahmed Musaed Saeed (Yemen)
8. Hayder Habeeb Ali (Iraq)
9. Basim Yousuf Hussein Alshaghanbi (Iraq)
10. Sharif Ahmed Sharif Ba Alawi (Yemen)
11. Manoj Sabharwal Om Prakash (India)
12. Rashed Saleh Saleh Al Jarmouzi (Yemen)
13. Naif Nasser Saleh Aljarmouzi (Yemen)
14. Zubiullah Abdul Qahir Durani (Afghanistan)
15. Suliman Saleh Salem Aboulan (Yemen)
16. Adel Ahmed Salem Obaid Ali Badrah (Yemen)
17. Ali Nasser Alaseeri (Saudi Arabia)
18. Fadhl Saleh Salem Altayabi (Yemen)
19. Ashur Omar Ashur Obaidoon (Yemen)
20. Hazem Mohsen Farhan + Hazem Mohsen Al Farhan (Syria)
The Secretary-General/Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Dr. Faruk Abubakar has said that over 7,000 professional nurses leave the country for greener pastures in other countries annually. According to him, this is a clear testimony that Nigeria has competent, efficient and hardworking professional nurses who he said, are among the best in the world. Dr. Faruk Abubakar spoke when he led members of the council to the Delta State Commissioner for health, Dr. Mordi Ononye, in Asaba shortly before a five-day workshop for examiners engaged in nursing and professional examinations held in the state. The secretary-general/registrar said: “In that respect, the council felt it is necessary that we maintain that standard and this is why in every two years, we organise this workshop and make sure that the examiners that we assign and appoint to conduct professional examinations have updated knowledge in line with global practices.” It would be recalled that Nigeria has witnessed increased migration of nurses to developed nations due to push factors such as low remunerations, poor governmental policies, poor working conditions and pull factors such as good working conditions, better pay which are offered by developed countries. The Delta health commissioner, Dr. Ononye, however, decried the high rate of migration of Nigerian nurses to developed countries as worrisome, saying that it must be urgently looked into with the view to checking its threat to Nigeria’s health system. “We have a situation where human resource experts, trained and skilled at great cost to the nation are lost to our health system by migration to already developed countries. “This is worrisome to stakeholders in the health sector and we welcome practical suggestions for finding solutions to this problem.” Dr. Ononye commended the council for the good job it has been doing through its rigorous training programmes for nursing students and professionals which is the reason behind the competence displayed by Nigerian nurses in and outside the country. “I commend the council for organising the examiners’ workshop and the inclusion of assessment of participants as part of its training activities which no doubt has made the workshop to be more than a mere paper exercise. “By this the council no doubt has set the pace for other health players in the health sector to emulate.” Source: Nigerian Tribune.
Nigerians who turned up for job interview at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have ended up in detention over alleged forged certificates and academic records.
Photo for illustrative purpose
They were said to have presented the forged papers during the on-going recruitment interview exercise today, September 14.
A statement by the Commission’s spokesperson, Azuka C. Ogugua said that some of the false documents presented included declarations of age, school certificates and other documentation that showed evidence of tampering.
“This is contrary to and punishable under Section 25 (1) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
“The suspects have been detained and are being investigated by the Commission.”
Dangote Oil Refinery has gone into partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to promote the critical issue of Research and Development (R&D) in the oil and gas sector of the country.
Only recently, Dangote Petroleum Refinery sponsored the second Edition of the NCDMB Research and Development Fair and Conference 2021, which took place in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Information reaching us said that Dangote Oil Refinery management had selected six graduates across the six geopolitical zones in conjunction with NCDMB to take the MSc and/or PhD programmes at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria for Research and Development in Zeolites ZM5in.
Dangote Refinery at a recent workshop, themed: “Creating Sustainable Collaboration in Research and Development for the Energvvvvvvcvy Sector,” said the conference created a convergence of researchers, industry players, investors, finance enterprises and manufacturing companies to identify patentable or commercially viable products resulting from R&D activities.
The workshop afforded Dangote Oil Refinery the opportunity to showcase its 650,000 barrels-per-day single largest train refinery project and what the company has done in terms of Research and Development during the construction of the refinery.
Speaking during his visit to the Dangote Oil Refinery exhibition booth at the fair and conference, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Engr. Simbi Wabote, commended the company for showing support to the board by participating in the fair.
He expressed the need for companies in the Nigeria oil and gas sector to start nurturing the growth of the country’s home-grown technology rather just being wholesome consumers of other people’s innovations.
In his opening remarks, he said: “Analysis of global practices of Research and Development revealed that the combined R&D spend of just five countries makes up 63.5% of the entire global R&D spend. These five countries, namely USA, China, Japan, Germany, and India were also observed to have accounted for over 50% of the global Gross Domestic Products.
“Africa, on the other hand, accounted for less than one per cent (1%) of the global R&D spend while its GDP is only 3% of the global GDP. You will agree with me that there is a nexus between the spend on Research and Development and economic prosperity.”
The Executive Secretary said that from time immemorial to the current age of global connectivity, R&D always played a crucial role in opening up new chapters of modern life.
He listed some of the accomplishments of the board to include the establishment of the Nigerian Content Research and Development Council to advise the Board on matters relating to research and development in the oil and gas industry and the Development of R&D 10 Year Strategic Roadmap.
The minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, also called on industry stakeholders and youths across the country to take advantage of the NCDMB R&D center to bolster adaptation of existing solutions and also come up with new ones to address major challenges in the industry.
The Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, represented by his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said the theme for the fair captures stakeholders’ collective commitment to aggressively drive innovation and position the oil industry on the path of an integrated energy sector, where field development and production solutions are sourced tbbnnmmm nhrough local capabilities.
He emphasized the need for private sector operators to invest in research and development. “It is important, however, to clear up a certain misconception: The funding of research is not the sole responsibility of National Governments; rather, big spenders on research and development globally come from the private sector,” he added.
Beyond financial intervention, he urged the oil and gas industry players to challenge the local academia with its research problems, to ensure the development of homegrown technology and the retention of oil and gas spend in the economy.
My attention has been drawn to a social media post by Farooq Kperogi, who happened to be my junior at Bayero University Kano, where he referred to PRNNigeria, rather than PRNigeria, as Prof Isa Ali Pantami’s PR firm, amidst other untoward, if not reckless and unproven insinuations.
Yushau Shaibu
I had never thought my relationship with Kperogi would lead him to question the integrity of PRNigeria, yet I will refrain from joining issues with him, as this would constitute a poor reflection of my upbringing and training as a PR person, whose calling is essentially about the building and nurturing of relationships. Yet, he is free to fact-check my reputation and that of PRNigeria in the past decade of our unparalleled interventions in the public space.
To help him, he should even go farther into the past from the days of the Mass Communications department at BUK, to the NYSC, and then professional memberships and affiliations in NIPR, APRA, IPRA, and others. I had always thought that the sacred act of public commentary is one that is grounded in truth-telling and the respect for boundaries of others, and not some flippant pandering to the impulse of seeking to rubbish well-built reputations in some spurious act of self-righteousness, which seeks to feign a holiness that’s above everyone else.
And to whom it may concern, my relationship with Prof Pantami is more of that of a brother and respected peer, than that of a client or employer, yoked together in a transactional crucible. I would have it no other way. Thank you.
We have observed that President Buhari’s concluding remarks at the meeting with South East Leaders during his one-day visit to Imo State is being deliberately contorted and twisted out of context.
The purveyors of disinformation want Nigerians to believe that the President bluntly told Governor Uzodinma, ‘‘I’ll be careful with your future invitations.’’
They have adduced different meanings to the phrase, contrary to the context wherein the President spoke during his successful dialogue with leaders of thought from Igbo land.
When he arrived at the banquet hall of Imo State Government House for his last assignment in Owerri, the President was welcomed by over 50 leaders from the South East who had waited patiently for him for a Town Hall engagement, after commissioning strategic projects in the State.
The President began his extempore speech by acknowledging the caliber of personalities present at the dialogue, including the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Prof George Obiozor, former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (Rtd), former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former Military Governor in old Imo State, Senator Ike Nwachukwu, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, Chairman of the South East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, Deputy Governors of Abia, Anambra and the SSG of Enugu State, who represented the Governor, the Anglican Archbishop of Owerri Province, Most Rev David Onouha and his brother Bishop of Enugu, Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo, just to mention but a few.
An elated President Buhari made it clear that he was expressly overwhelmed by the reception and galaxy of personalities that travelled from the five South Eastern States to have a heart-to-heart discussion with him in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
His words were clear: “I am overwhelmed by this reception, overwhelmed in the sense that when I accepted the invitation by the Imo State Governor, who wants to justify investments the government has done to the people of Imo State, I thought I would see the bridges, the roads and a few renovations.
‘‘He didn’t tell me he was going to get the whole Igbo leadership here. So in the future when he invites me, I’ll know what to do. But I think he has done what the military didn’t like. He has achieved surprise. He has surprised me beyond description.’’
Later, in his concluding statement at the same event, the President made reference to his earlier remarks on the ‘‘surprise’’ action pulled by the Governor. On a lighter note, he quipped:
‘‘Governor of Imo State, I cannot thank you enough, but I will be careful with your future invitations.’’
The President’s historic visit to Imo State was very successful and the Igbo leaders who met him shared the same enthusiasm that his coming to the Eastern heartland would bring peace, foster unity, encourage good and better understanding among the citizenry.
Archbishop David Onuoha, who is the Anglican Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, must have summed up the mood in the words of the prayer offered at the event: “Thank You dear Lord for our nation Nigeria and her people with diverse backgrounds, nationalities and cultures. Surely You did not make any mistakes in bringing us together.
‘‘Your purpose is for us to harness our potentials/strength to build a strong and virile nation. May this purpose never be defeated.
‘‘Glory be unto You for bringing Your servant and our dear President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, safely to this State. Blessed be Your name for his life and the giant strides he is taking for the wellbeing of our nation.
‘‘Thank you for the huge infrastructural development that is taking place in various parts of the country.
‘‘Lord, Nigeria is a great nation with numerous challenges. We pray that you endue our President with heavenly wisdom, grace and strength. In his resolve to serve this nation, he will not fail, fall or falter. He will end his tenure strong and well to the glory and honour of your name and the good of our people.
‘‘May his visit today bring peace, foster unity, encourage good and better understanding among the citizens of this great nation; may it bring prosperity and restoration.’’
Femi Adesina is Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.
Scores of armed Bandits fleeing in confusion, from the ongoing Military operation in Zamfara and Katsina states, met their Waterloo in the hands of soldiers at Maganda village near Allawa in Shiroro local government area of Niger state yesterday.
The bandits who were escaping through the notorious Allawa forest in their hundreds, ran into the Military camp stationed at Alawa, and engaged the soldiers in a serious gun battle for several hours.
At the end of the gun battle, one soldier was said to been missing while scores of the bandits were killed and several others escaped into the forest with bullets injuries.
Those who escaped with serious bullets wounds are still being trailed by the soldiers as the entire forest is being combed in search of the escaped ones.
About six machine guns and a number of AK 47 riffles and bags of ammunitions were recovered from the bandits.
According to a source close to Allawa community, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, most of the bandits killed all look like foreigners as they have no resemblance of Nigerians.
“In fact from the dead bodies that we saw, they are not Nigerians, these are foreigners, all of them are carrying long hair like women.
“They don’t have resemblance of Nigerians and they don’t know the terrain that was why they ran into the soldiers because they did not know that there is soldiers camp there”, our source said.
He disclosed that though one soldier was killed by the bandits, the soldiers recorded a huge success by killing several of them, stressing that “as I speak with you the bodies of the bandits killed are still littered in the bush”.
This is one of the major breakthrough recorded by the Military in its war against armed bandits in the state in recent time.
However, it could be recalled that the bandits had in April this year, invaded the Military Base in Alawa, and killed five soldiers and a mobile Policeman.
The entire Military camp was razed down by the armed bandits who invaded the base at about 3:00am when soldiers had just returned to their base from area patrol.
After the invasion of the Military base, the bandits moved to the community where they killed seven People and abducted a number of villagers.
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A repented Boko Haram Commander, Adamu Rugurugu has invited God’s anger and curse on the top leaders of the group for misleading them and forcefully conscripting them into the group.
The authorities of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) are alleged to be selling job opportunities at the institution to applicants seeking for jobs at N1.5 million each.
Scores of armed Bandits fleeing in confusion, from the ongoing Military operation in Zamfara and Katsina states, met their Waterloo in the hands of soldiers at Maganda village near Allawa in Shiroro local government area of Niger state yesterday.
What President Buhari Said And Didn’t Say In Imo State, By Femi Adesina
The purveyors of disinformation want Nigerians to believe that the President bluntly told Governor Uzodinma, ‘‘I’ll be careful with your future invitations.’’
They have adduced different meanings to the phrase, contrary to the context wherein the President spoke during his successful dialogue with leaders of thought from Igbo land.
When he arrived at the banquet hall of Imo State Government House for his last assignment in Owerri, the President was welcomed by over 50 leaders from the South East who had waited patiently for him for a Town Hall engagement, after commissioning strategic projects in the State.
The President began his extempore speech by acknowledging the caliber of personalities present at the dialogue, including the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Prof George Obiozor, former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (Rtd), former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former Military Governor in old Imo State, Senator Ike Nwachukwu, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, Chairman of the South East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, Deputy Governors of Abia, Anambra and the SSG of Enugu State, who represented the Governor, the Anglican Archbishop of Owerri Province, Most Rev David Onouha and his brother Bishop of Enugu, Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo, just to mention but a few.
An elated President Buhari made it clear that he was expressly overwhelmed by the reception and galaxy of personalities that travelled from the five South Eastern States to have a heart-to-heart discussion with him in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
His words were clear: “I am overwhelmed by this reception, overwhelmed in the sense that when I accepted the invitation by the Imo State Governor, who wants to justify investments the government has done to the people of Imo State, I thought I would see the bridges, the roads and a few renovations.
‘‘He didn’t tell me he was going to get the whole Igbo leadership here. So in the future when he invites me, I’ll know what to do. But I think he has done what the military didn’t like. He has achieved surprise. He has surprised me beyond description.’’
Later, in his concluding statement at the same event, the President made reference to his earlier remarks on the ‘‘surprise’’ action pulled by the Governor. On a lighter note, he quipped:
‘‘Governor of Imo State, I cannot thank you enough, but I will be careful with your future invitations.’’
The President’s historic visit to Imo State was very successful and the Igbo leaders who met him shared the same enthusiasm that his coming to the Eastern heartland would bring peace, foster unity, encourage good and better understanding among the citizenry.
Archbishop David Onuoha, who is the Anglican Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, must have summed up the mood in the words of the prayer offered at the event: “Thank You dear Lord for our nation Nigeria and her people with diverse backgrounds, nationalities and cultures. Surely You did not make any mistakes in bringing us together.
‘‘Your purpose is for us to harness our potentials/strength to build a strong and virile nation. May this purpose never be defeated.
‘‘Glory be unto You for bringing Your servant and our dear President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, safely to this State. Blessed be Your name for his life and the giant strides he is taking for the wellbeing of our nation.
‘‘Thank you for the huge infrastructural development that is taking place in various parts of the country.
‘‘Lord, Nigeria is a great nation with numerous challenges. We pray that you endue our President with heavenly wisdom, grace and strength. In his resolve to serve this nation, he will not fail, fall or falter. He will end his tenure strong and well to the glory and honour of your name and the good of our people.
‘‘May his visit today bring peace, foster unity, encourage good and better understanding among the citizens of this great nation; may it bring prosperity and restoration.’’
Femi Adesina is Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.