Third Anniversary: President Tinubu Urges Nigerians To Embrace Love, Unity

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[00:00:00]Welcome back. This week President Bola Ahmed Tinubu called on Nigerians to embrace love, tolerance, and unity as Muslims across the country and the world celebrated Eid al-Kabir. He urged Nigerians to be generous and compassionate towards one another in a manner that reflects the nation's values and shared humanity. He emphasized that Nigeria's strength lies in its diversity and common humanity, noting that no ethnic, religious, or political difference should outweigh the collective aspiration for peace, progress, and national development. I still have Umar Djigwa right here with me who is firing from all cylinders with all the questions we've been throwing at him. Umar, thank you so much for staying put. And of course, emphasis on love, unity, and tolerance in the president's Eid al-Kabir message. Now, how far would it go in really mending the fences and healing broken hearts from events of the past months?

[00:00:52]>> You cannot turn back the hands of time.

[00:00:57]>> Absolutely.

[00:00:58]>> When something has happened, it has really happened.

[00:01:01]And that is a president.

[00:01:04]What did you expect him to say?

[00:01:07]He has to remind us in the hopes that he's going to appeal to our conscience. So that those people that are making some of these problems should remember that there is God.

[00:01:20]And the same God said, "No, don't do this."

[00:01:24]That's what he's saying. And he said it as a leader. He went and prayed Eid.

[00:01:30]And they are asking him a question. What is he supposed to say?

[00:01:33]Why would he Look, that is a holy moment.

[00:01:38]In fact, that is why the government even give public holiday.

[00:01:42]Because they want to respect this particular period of time.

[00:01:49]>> Mhm.

[00:01:50]>> And that is why the president has to remind everybody that we all have a conscience.

[00:01:56]Let's go back to ground zero.

[00:01:58]God doesn't like this. We need to help each other. We have to come together.

[00:02:03]He did not discuss anything political there.

[00:02:06]He was appealing to every single person's conscience.

[00:02:10]And that is why he said what he said.

[00:02:12]There is no way for him to sit down there and start telling you, you know, I have sent 50 helicopters to Maiduguri to go and wipe this wipe No.

[00:02:21]He has to speak like a father that he is.

[00:02:23]>> Right.

[00:02:24]>> He has to speak as the father that he is.

[00:02:29]>> All right, let's talk as Nigerians now. Now, as a country, where are we really missing it when it comes to tolerating each other as Nigerians? What exactly do you think is that problem? And do you think it's a problem that can be settled or solved with a speech or with action or with due time process? What exactly is that thing that is missing that doesn't give us that cohesion as Nigerians?

[00:02:58]>> All right.

[00:03:00]You want me to go back into history. I don't know whether you will have enough time.

[00:03:04]>> You don't have to, but just uh summarize it for us, yeah.

[00:03:07]>> [laughter] >> Good.

[00:03:08]>> All right, agreed. Agreed.

[00:03:10]Agreed.

[00:03:11]It is a part of history.

[00:03:16]When we were being colonized and they give us independence, they divided us into three.

[00:03:23]They did not give us you know, uh our independence as Nigerians. No.

[00:03:27]When they were giving us our independence, they divided us into three.

[00:03:31]Something that is as small as that.

[00:03:34]Today, see what we are facing.

[00:03:37]They were discussing different background, different religion, different this, different that.

[00:03:43]These places that you're calling states it is human being like me and you that drew a line and said, this this from here to here is Abuja. From here to here is Lagos. From here to here is by that road." It's a human being that made that.

[00:03:59]Do you understand?

[00:04:01]So, from that aspect, that's where it all started.

[00:04:05]And then, of course, as you know, the coup that came. And then, northern people felt that they were those that had to bear the burden.

[00:04:14]And then, what? A counter coup was also done because they said that the evil people wanted to have them out. What did we have next? Civil war.

[00:04:22]When you are discussing things like this, it's very very important that we educate Nigerians to understand history behind some of these things.

[00:04:36]I never asked you whether you are from Abuja or you are from Yola or you are from Gongola.

[00:04:45]Look at it.

[00:04:47]Gongola and Adamawa.

[00:04:51]These two were one state, too.

[00:04:54]If human beings say, "All right, let's let's let's separate it.

[00:04:57]You are Taraba.

[00:04:58]I am Adamawa."

[00:05:01]And now, automatically, overnight, what does it turn to? Ah, these people of Adamawa, they are always trying to take everything that belongs to us. Mhm. Did you forget that we were all Gongola?

[00:05:09]>> Mhm.

[00:05:11]>> I mean, look, sir, Nigerians need to look at history. They need to educate themselves better.

[00:05:19]Because when you understand when you understand the genesis of some of the issues that we are facing now, you can be able to see it for yourself and tell yourself that this is right or that is wrong.

[00:05:35]Everybody should do that. For me, for me, I don't see any difference.

[00:05:41]For me, I don't know where you are from.

[00:05:44]For me, I don't even care where you are from.

[00:05:47]I don't even care about it.

[00:05:49]It is a human being that told me that if I was born in this place, I am from Adamawa.

[00:05:56]It is not me that said it.

[00:05:58]>> Mhm.

[00:05:58]>> It's a human being that told me that the name of the place that you were born is Adamawa. Not that I chose to go there.

[00:06:04]If today I was born in the east, I would have been an easterner.

[00:06:08]The same God that made you made me.

[00:06:09]>> Yeah, true.

[00:06:11]All right, uh >> You see, we need to understand that part.

[00:06:15]>> All right, before before we go, uh Umar, what role do you think state governments actually should play in creating this atmosphere of tolerance? Because there are suggestions that even states aren't doing enough to stay connected to the people. Do you also share share the same standpoint as well before we go this evening?

[00:06:33]>> Nigeria they like to politicize everything.

[00:06:38]Every single thing that happens in Nigeria, right? Look at it.

[00:06:43]It's mostly it's mostly politically related. And if it happens and by coincidence is not uh politically related, then I want to also assure you that it will still be politically appreciated.

[00:07:01]That is our problem now. We have politicized the whole country.

[00:07:06]And that is why we are having the issues that we're having now.

[00:07:10]State governors need to preach unity.

[00:07:14]State governors need to bring their people together.

[00:07:17]State governors are closer to the people than the president.

[00:07:23]And that's why I believe that we have to educate ourselves on the roles and responsibilities of every single person that has an office, from the lowest to the highest, so that we know who we are going to go and catch and ask him how far. Tell us now.

[00:07:37]>> [laughter] >> Thank you so much, uh Umar Jalingo, for your time on the show. Ladies and of course, we've been speaking with political analyst uh talking to us from Abuja, Omar Djidewa. Thank you very kindly for your time on the show this evening.