At the thanksgiving service to commemorate the Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Osun State, the Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, on Sunday, sued for peace and national integration among citizens of Osun and Nigerians at large.
Oyetola, who lauded the patriotism and sacrifice of the Officers and Men of the Armed Forces, added that Nigerians have a responsibility to continue to show love and demonstrate unity towards one another to ensure that the labours of the nation’s gallant soldiers are not in vain.
Osun governor, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, at the thanksgiving service held at the Christ Foundation Gospel Church, behind old governor’s office, Osogbo, said individual decision to love and serve the country is a strong cord for welding the nation together.
According to Oyetola: “The patriotism and sacrifice of the Officers and Men of the Armed Forces have taught us that we have a stake in each other; that the success of one of us edifies the rest of us and the death or failure of one diminishes the rest of us; that we succeed when we pray together and act in love; and that our individual decision to love and serve our country is a strong cord for welding our nation together.
“As beneficiaries of the sacrifices and commitments of our gallant soldiers, we have a responsibility to continue to show love and demonstrate unity towards one another to ensure that their labours are not in vain. We have a responsibility to support and show love to their families as a State, a nation and a people. We have a responsibility to pray for them as a church, a State and a nation.
“Let me urge us to rededicate ourselves to our Creator so that His purpose for creating us, the State and the nation can be realized”, he said.
Oyetola also harped on the place of prayers in achieving peace and unity of the nation, describing this as one of the secrets of Osun’s enviable peace profile.
“Osun is house of prayers in view of its position as one of the States with the highest number of religious organizations. It is therefore no surprise that it has sustained its ranking as the most peaceful State in Nigeria”, Oyetola added.
