Tinubu preaches peace, religious tolerance

President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to embrace peace and reject hate, stressing the need for unity among people of different faiths.

He made the call on Saturday in Jos, Plateau State, during the burial ceremony of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.

Speaking at the event attended by top government officials, Tinubu said hate has no place in the nation’s progress. “Hate is never an option for us. I was born into Islam and have remained a Muslim, while my wife is a pastor. She prays for me, and there has never been any conflict between us. I have never tried to persuade her to convert,” the president said.

He urged religious leaders to continue promoting peace and unity, noting that Nigerians serve the same God despite their differences. “This must be an opportunity to promote the unity needed. To the clergy, thank you for the promotion of peace. Hate is not an option. We must love one another. Nobody determines what God has ordained. We are praying to the same God. We are answerable to him,” he added.

Earlier in a meeting with Christian leaders at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) headquarters in Jos, Tinubu restated his commitment to uniting Nigerians and ensuring fairness among all religions. “I have a mission to unite this country, ensure its prosperity, and we are making progress,” he said in a statement by his media aide, Bayo Onanuga.

He highlighted his family as an example of religious tolerance, saying, “In our family, we have a strong Muslim background, and I married a Christian, a pastor for that matter, and I have never forced her to change her religion.”

President Tinubu assured that his administration is tackling insecurity, particularly terrorism and banditry. “We are defeating bandits, and we will defeat them. We will deal with them and combat the farmers-herders clashes,” he said.

He also emphasized his government’s efforts to rebuild the economy for the benefit of all Nigerians and described the late Nana Lydia Yilwatda as a devoted mother and humanitarian. “Today, I am grateful that I am alive and to God be the glory to be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to come here to bid farewell to the mother of the community and a humanitarian,” Tinubu said.

The APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, described his late mother as a hardworking woman who lived on medication for 47 years but remained dedicated to her family and community. He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for attending the burial and for his support.

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, also thanked the president for honoring the state with his presence at the ceremony.

The burial was attended by top government officials, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum AbdulRazaq Abdulrahman, APC governors, NSA Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, SGF George Akume, former SGF Boss Mustapha, and several former governors and lawmakers.