Democracy Day: Be ready to make sacrifices, Osinbajo tells Nigerians

The acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Sunday said Nigeria was in dire need of those who could make sacrifices to make the nation great.

He said the country was in need of teachers who were prepared to teach; doctors who were prepared to provide quality health services and those who were willing to fight corruption, despite all odds.

Osinbajo spoke at the 2017 Democracy Day Interdenominational Church Service held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja.

The service had ‘The Dry Bones Shall Live Again’ as its theme.

Buttressing his point with the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37, the acting President advised Nigerians against emulating the politician and the cleric in the story that looked the other way when they saw the man that was attacked by thieves and left for dead.

He urged them to emulate the Good Samaritan, whom he described as a nobody, that took compassion on the victim, poured oil on his wounds, and took him to the hospital.

Osinbajo said, “When we look at our country, it is not the state it fell into that is the story but the story is how the people react when you see the nation that needs to be helped.

“While the politician and cleric look the other way when they saw the man that was half dead, the Good Samaritan had compassion on him, bandaged him and took him to the hospital.

“Who truly loves the nation? Is it the priest that said a prayer and walked past or the politician that looked and walked past or the Samaritan that took the wounded to the hospital, paid some money and said ‘treat him, on my return, I will offset the bill’?

“The nation requires those that can make the sacrifices to make it great. They are those whom Jesus spoke about; people that may not be of note but are prepared to make the nation great again. Some are doctors, teachers, young graduates.

“There is sacrifice of integrity against corruption. When you speak against corruption, it fights back, so you must be ready to make sacrifice no matter how highly placed or small you are. Teachers who are prepared to teach, doctors who are prepared to provide health services, no matter what.

“Make the sacrifices required to make our nation great whether you are a leader or a follower.”

Osinbajo concluded his address by praying that God would heal President Muhammadu Buhari and bring him back safely to resume his duties.

Earlier in his sermon, Apostle Sunday Popoola of the Apostle of the Word Communication Ministries and Founder of Christ Family Assembly Churches had warned those contemplating a coup in the country to desist from it because, according to him, such moves would not succeed.

“If you are out there like me, you will know that Nigerians are fed up and are waiting for something to spark. We need to be patient with the present government which has something to offer. Coup cannot work now and will not succeed,” he said.

The clergyman also called for genuine reforms in the nation’s civil service.