We’ll Overcome Our Challenges Through Unity And Cooperation Of Nigerians, Says Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has assured that Nigeria will overcome its current challenges through unity and cooperation of Nigerians.

He spoke during the 54th Independent Anniversary Interdenominational Church Service at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, themed: ‘Be Still’.

Jonathan pointed out that the unity and cooperation of all Nigerians played a major role in the success recorded in the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria.

He said: “God know that we have challenges and even before these challenges came, God knew that we were going to have them. There is nothing that he does not know, because whatever he does, is for a purpose.

“As a nation, we are facing these challenges. We fought a civil war for 30 months. That time, the world was not even as sophisticated as it is today. Even when we heard about ‘Ogbunigbe’, it was like going to the moon. But now, even a little boy of twelve years can couple a gun by just going to the internet and kill people. Society has become so sophisticated and open that people continue to abuse privileges.

“But because of the prayers of Nigerians, we will overcome the challenges of our country. The only thing is to appeal to all of us Nigerians to be united. If we are united, there is nothing we cannot conquer”, he said

Citing the Ebola case, he said: “This is good example that all Nigerians must learn. When Patrick Sawyer brought Ebola to Nigeria, it was in Lagos that this incident happened and in terms of politics, Lagos is an opposition party but the central government is the ruling party. From Lagos Ebola moved to Rivers state and this is also an opposition party state. But because all Nigerians fought Ebola irrespective of political persuasion, irrespective of religion, or ethnicity, we defeated Ebola.

“We appealed to people to stop shaking hands, and as individuals, Nigerians became very hygienic. It was not just one person, or Mr. President or the Governors, or other officials, yes they did their work, but we defeated Ebola because all Nigerians agreed to fight the war against Ebola. That is the strength of unity”.

In his sermon, the President, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oristejafor, said that most of the challenges confronting the country were self-inflicted.

He noted that corruption and terrorism, which he described as ‘the greatest’ problems facing the country, were created by greedy politicians and extreme religious ideologists.

The CAN president, who based his sermon on Mark 4:35 to 41, said that Nigeria was a boat built by God that could never sink.

Information Nigeria reports that the service was attended by the First Lady, Patience Jonathan; the president’s mother, Eunice Jonathan; and former military Head of State, Yakubu Gowon.

Ernest Shonekan, Head of the Interim National Government; Senate President David Mark, top federal government functionaries, Service Chiefs, state governors, members of the clergy, among others, also attended the service.