Igbo man saved my life during the civil war – Gov Lalong

Kingsley Chukwuka, Jos

Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has appeal to Nigerians to stop beating the drum of war and anything that will cause chaos in the country and embrace genuine dialogue as an alternative for the cry for marginalization and injustice.

Lalong said the gory images and experience of the civil war still remain green in his mind and how an Igbo man who was his guardian was brutally killed after saving his life.

Lalong stated this on Sunday during the Independence Church Service at the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Headquarters Jos, Plateau State.

He said, “the memory of what happen to me when I was three years old is still fresh in my mind; an Igbo man who was my guardian that married my aunty was killed and before he was killed, he took me and luck me inside a room and he was killed.

“After that, the people came and open the door and saw a three year old boy, they bang the door and left, that memory is still fresh in my mind and anybody who is beating drums of war has not seen it”, he said.

The Governor admonished Nigerians to stop carrying arms against each other and expressed dismay over those beating drums of disintegration of the country.

He expressed optimistic that the country would not break after surviving many upheaval and urged various regions to pursue genuine reconciliation that will strengthen the bond of peace and unity in diversity.

“In the midst of clamour for agitation and restructuring, Nigeria still stand strong in unity with each other; I am sure that if a referendum is conducted on whether Nigeria should break up or remain united, those who want the country break will not be up to 10 percent.”

Mr. Lalong said Nigeria has come a long way and cannot break now that it has attended 57th years of togetherness despite the upheavals and the challenges the country has went through.

“If true federalism will address the injustice and cry for marginalisation in the country, government should be ready to address it but we should all agree to live together: but for anybody to give any excuse on why the country should separate, this is because the person has not seen war”, he said.

However, our correspondent reports that the State is calm despite the quit notice of October 1st deadline given to the Igbo people to quit northern Nigeria, even though most shops remain under luck and key.

The State Government had earlier said the celebration will be low key and survey round town by our reporter indicated that Christians attended church service using the opportunity to pray for the nation.