Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, on Sunday led government officials and other stakeholders to Nasarawa Gwom Baptist Church in Jos to offer prayers for an end to attacks and killings and the restoration of peace across Nigeria. Nigeria got her independence on the 1st of October, 1960.
Speaking through his deputy, Mrs. Josephine Piyo, Governor Mutfwang said Nigeria had survived 66 years of independence from colonial rule through the grace and providence of God.
“As Christians, we acknowledge that beyond the efforts of men and women, Nigeria exists by the grace and providence of God,” the governor said.
He urged the church to continue praying for leaders at all levels of government, stressing that sincere prayers would attract divine intervention.
Mutfwang also called on Nigerians to remain grateful to God in all circumstances, describing the Independence Day celebration as an opportunity for reflection, repentance, recommitment and prayer.
“This is not merely a ceremonial occasion. It is a moment of gratitude, reflection, repentance, recommitment and prayer,” he said.
According to him, 66 years after independence, Nigerians must remember and honour the sacrifices of the country’s founding fathers, who inherited the responsibility of building a nation from diverse ethnicities, cultures, languages and faiths.
“66 years ago, our founding fathers inherited the responsibility of building a nation out of a people of diverse ethnicities, cultures, languages and faiths. Today, we remember their sacrifices with gratitude and honour,” he said.
The governor further stressed the need for greater unity among Nigerians, noting that the country remains bound by a common destiny and is endowed with abundant human and natural resources.
“We remain one nation, we remain a people bound by a shared destiny, and we remain a nation blessed with enormous human and natural resources. That resilience is part of the story of Nigeria, 66 years after independence,” Mutfwang said.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the church service, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Hon. Joyce Ramnap, said the state government remains determined to tackle insecurity and create an environment where citizens can live in peace.
Ramnap reiterated the Mutfwang administration’s commitment to ensuring peaceful coexistence among citizens irrespective of religious differences.
Earlier in his sermon, the Vice President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Plateau State chapter, Rev. Dr. Kyenel Saleh, drew his biblical texts from Psalms 120 and 136 and urged Christians to persevere in prayer.
The cleric said divine protection comes from God, stressing that without divine intervention, no one is beyond danger, including those in positions of leadership.
Also, during a special prayer session led by the Government House Chaplain, Rev. Benjamin Nadabo, prayers were offered from 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 and Psalm 46:1.
Rev. Nadabo emphasised the importance of humility before God, noting that those who approach God with sincere and humble hearts will have their prayers answered.
The leadership of Nasarawa Gwom Baptist Church appreciated Governor Mutfwang for choosing the church as the venue for the Independence Day prayers.
The church leaders said the Baptist Church, Nasarawa Gwom, is located in an area regarded as a flashpoint of insecurity and therefore requires the prayers and support of all Nigerians.
