Borno Celebrates 1st Independence Anniversary In 12yrs | Tellwell Newspaper
• Zulum, Lalong Harp On Unity, Harmonious Coexistence
Tellwell Newspaper, Abuja – Nigeria:
From Our Reporters
Sufficient peace and security for development and progress may have been restored to Borno State as it, for the first time in 12 years, celebrates the country’s independence anniversary.
Governors Babagana Zulum, teechoing his Plateau State counterpart, Simon Lalong, reiterated the need for the diverse peoples of the Nigeria to uphold peace and harmonious coexistence to guarantee the Nigeria’s prosperity, as the country celebrates its 62 independence anniversary.
Lalong, while addressing the people of the state, held that no nation can develop under the atmosphere of religious, ethnic and tribal conflict, admonishing Nigerians to unite to chart a common force against the country’s multifarious predicaments.
Represented by the Commissioner for water resources and energy, Sa’ad Bello, at a special Jumaat Mosque celebrating the occasion, Lalong appealed to telorate one another irrespective of religion, ethnic and divides.
”We urged people to leave peaceful with one another, so that we can benefit from the struggles of our founding fathers in the likes of Obafemi Awolowo, Zik, Ahmadu Bello and host of other Nationalist who keep this country one to ensure we gained Independence in 1960,” Lalong said.
“We have seen many countries who break away immediately after Independence,” he noted, saying, “our sincere prayers is that it will not be the portion of Nigeria as a nation,” stressing, “Our prayers is that we remain one entity, destiny and we thank God Almighty for making us that way so far to celebrate Nigeria 62nd anniversary”.
Addressing the people of the state at Ramat Square, Maiduguri, Saturday, 1st October, Governor Babagana Zulum who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Umar Kadafur, described the celebration of the occasion in Borno as indicative of the gradual return of peace to the terrorised State and the country.
He attributed the restoration of peace and security in Borno and Nigeria to the sacrifice of the Nigerian military and other security agencies for the country for the country to remain independent, united and indivisible entity.
Zulum enjoined Nigerians to remain united, live peacefully and shun all tendencies capable of plunging the nation into chaos and anarchy as the 2023 general elections fast approaches. He urged all to imbibe the spirit of patriotism and peaceful co-existence for a prosperous nation.
Zulum urged the citizens to appreciate the differences and diversity inherent in the Nigeria’s setup to enable the country actualise its corporate vision.
He believed that the country is capable of surmounting it’s daunting challenges.
Giwa Alex reports from Jos
