A clarion call has gone to all Nigerians to always profess positivity about the country and its armed forces.
This is as they have also been advised to stop tales of ethnic and religious rivalry.
The advice were given by the Oloja of Epe Kingdom, Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun, during a courtesy visit by members of a media advocacy group, Prayer and Support for the Armed Forces and other Security Agencies.
He commended the group for coming up with the initiative of supporting the security agencies by praying for them, and urged others to do same.
“I am deeply touched about the activities of this group. Quite nice that we have people in the media who realised that our armed forces need support spiritually. I promise to pass on the message to all our people in this town,” he said.
The monarch also commended the armed forces while praying that Almighty God would touch the hearts of the bad eggs among them.
“We really need to pray for our security agencies because it’s when they succeed that we are safe and can have rest of mind too,” he added.
He called for synergy among all the security agencies in order to truly achieve peace and security in our nation.
The royal father, who received members of the group in the presence of his chiefs, reiterated the need to love one another in order to achieve a united nation.
“Let’s stop the tales of woes, ethnic rivalry, negative tales. We should not allow people with evil minds to rule us or lead us astray. Let’s stop flaming anger and negativity,” he emphasized.
The convener of the group, Mrs Mary Abayomi Fatile, while speaking during the occasion, said: “Despite the fact that our military personnel have played major roles in various countries using all the resources at their disposal – human and capital – to restore peace in many nations, why are we still finding it difficult to restore peace in our country?”
She recounted many feats of the armed forces in the Gambia and other countries.
The group also paid a courtesy visit to the Commandant, Nigerian Army Ordinance School in Epe, Major General Adeyemi Alabi.
Alabi pointe out that prayer was very important and could not be overlooked.
He urged members of the group to continue what they had started and be vanguard of the new generation of people ready to make the needed change.
According to him, security was everybody’s business.
He therefore urged the populace to give security personnel all the necessary and useful information.
In her thank you remark, a member of the group, Hajia Sekinah Lawal, reiterated the need for unity of purpose and sincere prayers “as we have all noted the challenges, successes recorded by our security agencies in the ongoing fight against insurgents in the Northeast Nigeria, and the lingering kidnappings and banditry across the country.”
She stated further: “As a group of media professionals, we believe we need to engage in mobilising Nigerians for special prayers and unique support for our gallant soldiers and other security personnel.”
As part of the group’s planned activities, there was a sensitisation talk with some students of Yaba College of Technology, Epe Campus.
The students were reminded of the importance of security agencies in our society, educating them on security as a social contract, changing their perception of security personnel treating them as heroes and heroines, advocating for oneness, cooperation and love among all security agencies for seamless operations among others.
Another member of the group, Mr. John Obot of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, admonished the students to remain focused and shun all forms of drug abuse and cultism.
Mary Abayomi Fatile urged them to keep blessing and praying for their nation and the armed forces.
“As citizens, let’s continue to say that God bless Nigeria. And always have firm belief in oneness of Nigeria.”
The group had also joined some church services and Jumat prayers for awareness creation and prayers.
