Independence: God has taken away our enemies’ powers — Osinbajo
...Nigeria at threshold of breakthrough — Gowon
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says a new Nigeria is here and that God has taken away the powers of the enemies of the country.
Speaking yesterday at the Independence Day Interdenominational Service held at the National Christian Centre ahead of the nation’s 59th independence anniversary, Osinbajo said Nigeria would soon overcome its numerous challenges as the solution to the challenges to ensure Nigeria’s day of freedom “is at the door”.
He said: “God Almighty has taken away the protection of the enemies of this nation. He has taken away their powers, the noise we hear, the turbulence we experience, are the last gasps of a defeated foe. The day of freedom is at the door. As with Abraham, we in the words of Hebrews 11:10 wait for the new Nigeria, which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”
He said God had promised, through the mouths of His trusted prophets, that “He is giving us New Nigeria! May I announce to you today that God is ready to take us into the Promised Land, the new Nigeria. And we must remember that God, the Almighty God is the builder of nations, that God controls the destinies of nations and its people.
“God has promised us a new Nigeria, a peaceful Nigeria, a prosperous Nigeria, a Nigeria where justice and equity shall prevail, a united Nigeria, where the different tribes and tongues are not wedges of separation, but the joyful textures of our togetherness. God is ready to fulfil His promise.
“We stand outside the new city, the Promised Land, the new Nigeria; like the spies sent by Moses to spy out the Promised Land, some are saying, “Ha! It is impossible, Nigeria cannot change, the ethnic and religious divisions are too deep, corruption cannot end, politicians are too selfish and mischievous.
“Yet, like Caleb and Joshua, we declare that these problems are merely bread for us, we will enter the Promised Land! The new Nigeria is here, and each and every one of us, our families, our friends, all of us, will eat the pleasant fruits of this land.
Earlier, a former Head of States, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), charged the nations’ security agencies to end insecurity by the next independence celebration and ensure “there is no disorder in this country.”
He expressed Nigeria shall fulfil her destiny, asking people not to be discouraged as the nation is at the threshold of a breakthrough and the dawn of history. “Nigeria shall recover and rise again.”
“In the midst of the various inflicted challenges in Nigeria today, we can come together in the unity of faith to salvage the nation from its woes. I believe Nigeria is specially favoured by God and I am confident that God who preserved it in the past will do it again if only we can continue to fervently pray and do what is right and good before Him and fellowmen and women.
“Prayer still remains the key to salvage our personal family and national challenges but we must appreciate those who are committed to ensure law and order, peace and stability in our nation and ask them to resolve to do more to ensure peace and stability of Nigeria,” Gowon said.