Use Democracy to Strenthen National Unity, Osinbajo Charges Nigerians

Deji Elumoye in Abuja 

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has charged Nigerians to embrace democracy with a view to strengthening national unity and building social cohesion.

Osinbajo, who spoke Sunday at the Church Service to mark this year’s Democracy Day, in Abuja, declared that “democracy works because the values of justice, equality, fairness and inclusion, which underpin democratic governance, are also at the heart of our Christian faith”According to him, “Democracy works, all the more so in a heterogeneous union like ours, through negotiations and compromises carried out in good faith. And each year brings us closer to a more perfect union, a more mature democracy.

The Vice President who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation ( SGF), Boss Mustapha ssid the commemoration provides “opportunity to reflect on how far we have come as a people. It invites sobriety and gratitude”
“It allows us to remember the decades characterized by a lack of freedom, suspicion and uncertainty, and calls to mind the prayers, faith and courageous actions that brought us to a turning point in 1999, one accompanied by hope and promise”.

Quoting copiously from the Holy Bible, the Vice President recalled how in Deuteronomy Chapter 16, “God commanded the people through Moses to “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night.”

“In Esther 9:20-22, following the great deliverance of the Jews from the devious plots of Haman, it says: “Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration.”“And so in celebrating our Democracy Day, in-line with biblical and historical traditions, we assure ourselves that the hands of God are never too short to deliver and that His grace will always prevail for our good.
“Equally important, is that we also assure ourselves, that no matter how challenging the situation or moment might be, there is always enough God-given strength within us, as a people, to surmount them”.

Osinbajo noted that Nigerians have always risen to the occasion when it mattered most.
“We rose to the occasion when colonial powers subjugated our people and lorded over our resources.
“We rose to the occasion following the ravages of a civil war to rebuild a united country no matter how imperfect.

“We rose to the occasion when enduring military dictatorships pushed us to the edge of extinction and negotiated our way into a democracy that provides a platform for us to build a country, we can all be proud of.
“And we have come this far because of all of us, from the North to the South.
“Our democracy was hard won by Nigerians from the trenches of the six geo-political zones. Our struggle for a better country has always been de-tribalized.

The Vice President also recalled how Democracy Day was moved from May 29 to June 12 by a President from the North in honour of a political leader from the South.
“In the last couple of weeks, party primaries have been held by political parties big and small and across the country, without violence, rancour or the prevalence of bitter court cases as have characterized the process in times past. We are growing.

He noted that the social contract between the government and the people with the ballot as arbiter is daily being strengthened, adding that “ the combined effort of government, the people and civil society across the federation are bringing us closer to our highest democratic ideals and aspirations.

“We only have to keep moving forward, each one of us playing our part.
“It is possible for light to overcome darkness, for joy to overcome sorrow, for peace to prevail over terror, for us to be united irrespective of our cultural, linguistic, religious or even ideological differences” he said,
The Vice President also recalled how Jesus said to the crowd in Luke 12:54: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does.”“We have seen the rain coming over Nigeria.

A rain of peace and prosperity. One which like the goodness of God touches everyone no matter who or where they are.“We have been progressively proving that we have what it takes to run an open, honest and transparent government that guarantees the rule of law and secures every corner of the nation; that in this decade we can lift a 100 million people out of poverty and guarantee equal access to education and opportunities for our women, bringing to fruition the most comprehensive social welfare programme for the poor and vulnerable on this side of the planet.“We know the challenges.

We live with them. But we also know, and we have seen, in the words of Paul the Apostle that: “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us,” and that our nation will continue it’s long but steady march toward the fulfillment of its God ordained destiny.