How Nigeria can move forward as a nation, by Atiku

…Preaches peace, love at Christmas

Former Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, said on Monday that Nigeria cannot move forward as a country until each and every one realizes that what is good for one should also be good for the other.

Alhaji Atiku said this a press statement from his media office in Abuja on the occasion of the celebration of Christmas.

The former Vice President between 1999 and 2007, who is also the Turakin Adamawa, noted with sadness that over the past months, a number of dark forces have combined to accentuate divisions in the country.

He noted that in the areas of politics, religion and tribe, there seem to have been constant fractiousness and restiveness, with people of different groups exchanging threats or actual harm.

The former presidential aspirant stressed further that that is why Nigerians need to remember the love that Jesus taught, adding that “We must love our neighbors as ourselves, do good to them and mean them well, whether or not they belong to our group”.

He equally harp on the pertinent need to seek peace with all mankind, as Jesus taught.
According to him, “Year after year, we join our Christian brothers and sisters around the world to celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus and the beginning of what was to be an exemplary life.

“But, this year, more than ever, Nigerians must pay keen attention to the message of love, peace and sacrifice, which Jesus preached during his time on earth.

“Over the past months, a number of dark forces have combined to accentuate divisions in our country.
“In the areas of politics, religion and tribe, there seem to have been constant fractiousness and restiveness, with people of different groups exchanging threats or actual harm.

“That is why we need to remember the love that Jesus taught. We must love our neighbors as ourselves, do good to them and mean them well, whether or not they belong to our group.
“Nigeria cannot move forward as a country until each and every one of us realize that what is good for one should also be good for the other.

“In the same vein, we must seek peace with all mankind, as Jesus taught. We must be our brothers’ keeper.

“We must realize that it is only in an atmosphere of peace that we can expect to lay the solid foundation for prosperity. “Millions of our brothers and sisters in the northeast of Nigeria currently face starvation, disease and death in various refugee camps across the region. (Ditto for some others in Benue and Nasarawa and several other places afflicted with strife).

“A few years ago, these ones were settled in their own homes in their villages, farming and fending for themselves.
“The loss of their livelihoods and means of subsistence is the result of the peace that the entire region lost, that has led to devastation.

“We need look no further than these unfortunate ones to understand the high price to be paid for stoking the flames of violence, for whatever reason and under any guise. In the end, the price paid is always far too high.”
he said.