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.
