Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has said that there were cracks in the country which, if not properly addressed, may lead to its break up.
Speaking at the Independence Day Interdenominational Church Service at the National Christian Centre in Abuja on Sunday, Osinbajo who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said Nigerians need love to rebuild the cracks among them.
The vice President, who spoke on the theme: “Together, come let us rebuild,” urged Nigerians to contribute their quotas to national development through renewed vigour.
He noted that the story of Nehemiah and his role in re-building the walls of Jerusalem should be a lesson to every Christian in Nigeria, who is desirous of building Nigeria.
“The concern of Nehemiah was borne out of the love he had for his nation that prompted him to seek permission to rebuild the walls.
“We need such love to rebuild the cracks that we have in our nation. For us in Nigeria, Nehemiah should be taken as a metaphor for those Nigerians who either reside in Nigeria or outside, to cry to God to use the abandoned opportunities in Nigeria to address our challenges of nation building..
“Fortunately for us our walls are not yet broken but have cracks that could break if not properly addressed.
“We need to seek the face of God to address the broken walls. The significance of wall is purity, prosperity, peace and contentment.
“There’s an urgent need for a Nehemiah in our country, Nigeria, today. And like Nehemiah faced opposition in his efforts to rebuild the walls, any Nigerian that desires to rebuild Nigeria must also be ready to face stiffer opposition which will come in torrents. It can only be diffused by consistent focus and prayers,” Osinbajo said.
He called on the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to provide leadership to its faithful in making Nigeria a great nation.
In his sermon titled: “The Crucial Need of Nigeria to Attain Greatness at 60,” President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, also harped on the need for true love among all segments to move the nation forward.
Ayokunle, who took the scriptures from the book of Mark 12: 28-31, posited that for Nigeria to attain greatness, there was need to imbibe God’s kind of love that is eternal, sacrificial and unconditional irrespective of ethnicity, region and religion.
“The love we need to embrace in Nigeria is God’s kind of love. The love that is eternal, sacrificial, unconditional irrespective of ethnicity, region and religion.
“Our love for God is hypocritical, our religion appears to be empty, it has not reflected in our holiness at work or market place.
READ ALSO: BREAKING: NLC, TUC Suspend Planned Nationwide Protest Fixed For Today
“We need true religion to reposition Nigeria,” he maintained.
The cleric called on the leaders at all levels to use their positions to build the nation rather than causing disunity, while pleading with them to be change agents that would lead by example to ensure the progress of the nation.
He noted that for Nigerians to be on the same page, it was necessary to eliminate the doctrine of inequality, saying that we must not allow exclusion to manifest in our national life.
While condemning the spate of killing in the country, the CAN leader, called on those hiding under religion to commit heinous crimes to desist from such act.
Dignitaries present at the service included; Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Pauline Tallen, Deputy Majority Leader in the Senate, Prof. Afolabi Borofice, who represented the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, Members of the Judiciary and Members of the National Economic Council, Folashade Yemi- Esan; permanent secretaries, military officials, members of the diplomatic community, among others.
