VP Osinbajo At Hamma Bachama’s Palace After Communal Clashes On 05/12/2020

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REMARKS BY THE VICE PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, AT A CONDOLENCE VISIT AT THE HAMMA BACHAMA PALACE AFTER COMMUNAL VIOLENCE IN ADAMAWA STATE ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2017

Let me say first, that it is a very sad occasion that this visit is being paid. I am here at the behest of Mr President, first to commiserate with the people of Numan and the people of Adamawa State and to express sincere condolences to families of those who have lost their lives, homes, property and means of livelihood.

But more importantly, we are here to seek definite and permanent solutions to the problems that have arisen here. I think that is perhaps more important.

Nobody can benefit from killing, nobody can benefit from the loss of lives, no one can say we are reigning above, by killing people, especially children and women. When that happens, the line has been crossed, we must never allow a situation where the killing of women and children, even killing at all, allowed or is somehow permitted in any way.

I am very pleased to know that His Excellency, the Governor and everyone else, has taken up this matter very seriously and there is a determination to prevent this from happening again in the future.

I was telling the Honourable Minister for the Federal Capital Territory who of course is a son of Numan also, that I have studied this problem, especially in Adamawa State, for many years but from a scholarly point of view, from the point of view of what exactly is the problem here. It is a long-running problem, there are so many issues, but it is a human problem.

It is not a problem caused by spirits, it is a human problem and so it must have a human solution. It is that human solution that we are called upon as leaders, to make sure that we are able to bring about and to ensure that that solution works well not just for now, but forever.

All of us seated here are leaders in one shape, form or the other, whether as Vice President, as Governor, as Senator, or as Royal Highnesses, we are all enjoined by the holy book, I am a Christian, the Royal Highness is also a Christian, we are enjoined as leaders, to find solutions to the problems of those who are under us, that is our primary role, to bring about justice to those who are under us.

As Christians, we have a bigger problem, because the scripture says we must pray for even our enemies. I have always said that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a contrarian. It doesn’t agree with our flesh, what our flesh wants to do is to fight back and revenge. But what the gospel of Jesus Christ says is that we must not despise those who persecute us, we must pray for them. The gospel also says that revenge belongs to the almighty God and not any man, at all.

So those of us who follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, and I believe it is also the same in the Quran, that revenge is for God and God alone, we must find a solution to this problem.

With the agreement of His Excellency and the Royal Highnesses, when we are through with this, we will seat together, and hopefully we will be able to discuss a few more things, quietly and privately because I believe very strongly that our country is at a point in its history, where we all need to join hands to make sure that all that we are concerned with is to provide food, shelter and good livelihood for our people. That should be our primary aim now.

We are the largest economy in the whole of Africa, we have the resources to provide for our people, that our people will prosper and do well. We won’t allow for any distraction, this is a distraction. This is the time to focus on development, anybody is who engaging in any form of problems or distraction, we should ensure that we prevent them from doing so with every power.

We have no reason to allow these kinds of things at all, this is the time to come together to make progress as a people. There is no reason why we should allow so much poverty, and all we are doing is fighting and killing each other, no reason.

Our role is to provide security and the resources for people so that people can enjoy their lives as citizens of this country. I am quite certain with all that your royal highness has said, that we have set for ourselves that task, and we will achieve that task.

Those who are involved in any killing of any kind must be held to account, we mustn’t allow a situation where people kill and get away with it. It is not right under any shape or form. It is important, that we let people know that this country is a country under the law, and this must be the way that we must approach it. There must be no impunity on any side, we must not allow or permit that kind of conduct at all.

I am here to begin a process which I pray, will be able to resolve this problem once and for all. I believe with the very active support of your royal highnesses and the governor who has also pledged to support, the leaders and senators, the local government chairmen and everyone who is a leader.

If all that we are thinking about is something has gone wrong, let us just wait until another thing happens, then we are not true leaders, that’s not leadership.

Anybody can fight, anybody can kill; only true leaders can bring people together and make progress. Anybody who says he is a leader, but is just encouraging continuous fighting and cannot find a solution, has lost the right to leadership.

Our people want to be led, they want to be led to progress, the man on the street, wherever he is from, whatever religion he has, wants peace, food on his table, wants a job and a means of livelihood. That is all they want.

Once we have decided as leaders, that we are truly competent to lead our people, then that is what we must provide.  If we don’t provide that, then we have lost everything, even the right to be described as leaders.

So let us commit ourselves to a path of peace, which will lead to prosperity and abundance. That is the only role we have to play as leaders, otherwise, we shouldn’t be leaders at all.

I want to thank your royal highness for the warm welcome, but just as you said, it is a very unfortunate situation that we are faced with, but you are a man who has served in the military. Of course, if there is any organisation within our nation that has always epitomised unity, it is the military. By your training and background, unity had always been primary, I have every reason to believe, again from all the good reports I have heard from His Excellency, that you will lead the process, especially amongst the people to bring about lasting peace and lasting solution to the problems that we have been experiencing not just in Adamawa State, but across the country.

I believe that Adamawa State can be a template for peace across Nigeria; that is really what will hold us out, stand us out as good leaders, and especially as men and women of faith.

I would like to thank you very much your royal highnesses, for your kindness for this very warm welcome.

Thank you very much and God bless you.