Wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan, has urged Nigerians to obey biblical injunction of praying for leaders and pray for her husband as the head of the country. Reminding one and all that President Goodluck Jonathan was ordained by God, she described those abusing him as ungodly.
Quoting from the Holy Bible, while addressing children at an event she organised to mark the 2014 Children’s Day at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the First Lady said God’s instruction to mankind to honour their parents was not limited to biological parents alone.
Her words: “It is bad to abuse our country and the president because God has made him the head.
“The Almighty God commands us to pray for our leaders. We therefore, need to pray for the development of our country and the President.
“Remember that a child that abuses his father and mother is disobeying God’s commandment because the
Bible says in Exodus 20:12 that you should honour your father and mother so that you may live long in the land that the Lord your God has given you. The Holy Bible is not referring to only biological parents. Any one that is older than you even for a day, must be respected. Let us therefore join hands and rebuild our
country Nigeria.”
Mrs. Jonathan assured the children in particular and Nigerians in general that the Federal Government was doing all within its powers to secure the release of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted from Chibok in Borno State.
While urging Nigerians to be united in the fight against terrorism, she harped on the need for Nigerians to learn to encourage soldiers, who were at the forefront of the fight.
“It is the right of every child to go to school. It is only through education that you can be able to achieve your dreams and contribute meaningfully to your community and the nation.
“We desire peace in our community and in our nation. I want you all to be ambassadors of peace in your schools and practise good manners. We have no other country than Nigeria.
“We therefore, need to be patriotic and committed to our dear country. We should strengthen our covenant with our country as outlined in the National Pledge.
“Let us therefore be united in fighting terrorism. We should encourage our soldiers who are in the frontline to rescue our beloved daughters,” she said.
Mrs. Jonathan vowed not to relent in her efforts to assist in securing the release of the abducted girls.
The event which featured special inter-faith prayers for the release of the schoolgirls also saw some children presenting letters of demand on the abducted girls addressed to the Boko Haram sect to the First Lady.
Mrs. Jonathan however said since she did not know members of the sect, she would forward the children’s letters to the National Security Adviser or the Chief of Defence Staff.
“Let me thank the children that gave me letter to give Boko Haram. Well, I have received your letter, but I am not the one to give it to Boko Haram because I don’t know Boko Haram and I have never seen Boko Haram. But I will give it to the NSA or Chief of Defence Staff who will submit your letter accordingly.
“To my children parliament, thank you for your letter. Thank you for your deliberation. I have received what you gave to me. I will make sure I pass it to the President because it is addressed to him and the other one is addressed to Boko Haram. That is why the two are different,” she added.
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