JOS— FORMER Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has appealed to President Olusegun Obasanjo to lift the state of emergency in Plateau State as a 70th birthday present to him. He made the request yesterday at a reception organised for him at the Hill Station Hotel, Jos. He called it “my birthday request” from the president.
Although President Obasanjo who earlier attended the thanksgiving service was not at the reception to hear the request, General Gowon asked the state Administrator, Major-General Chris Alli, to pass the message across to him, adding: “If you don’t, I willcome back to ask you: why?”
He said it was not a good story for Plateau to be different from the other 35 states of the federation, hence his pleading for the restoration of democracy in the state.
Acknowledging the wonderful performance of General Alli in the state, he said Plateau should be allowed to return to democratic rule after six months of emergency rule.
Earlier at the thanksgiving held at St. Piran’s Church, Jos, the Anglican Bishop of Minna, theRt. Rev. Nathaniel Yisa, lamented the dearth of true leaders in the country. Delivering a sermon at the service which had in attendance President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme; Chief Earnest Shonekan; Chief Solomon Lar and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, among others, he regretted that Nigeria had more of rulers than leaders.
Distinguishing between a leader and a ruler, Bishop Yisa who based his sermon on John Chapter 17, said rulership had to do with monarchy where people are born with royal privileges whereas leadership is about serving the people and even be prepared to lay down one’s life for them if necessary. He said both could be combined to a certain degree but regretted that Nigeria had more of rulers than leaders and appealed to those in positions of authority to be more of leaders than rulers. He said they could demonstrate this by listening more to those they are leading and to always remember that it is a God-given responsibility.
However, he advised Nigerians not to expect too much from their leaders. President Obasanjo who was at the thanksgiving with his wife, Stella, extolled the virtues of General Gowon, describing him as a forthright leader.
Meanwhile, the Anglican Church in Africa has rejected the recently-released report of the committee set up to look into the ordination of a self-confessed gay bishop in the USA. The rejection was contained in a letter which was read during the thanksgiving by the Anglican Bishop of Jos, Dr. Benjamin Kwashi.
Primate of the church in Nigeria, Most Rev. Peter Akinola, who signed the letter said the reportwas unacceptable as it did not properly address the issue but merely described the ordination of Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire, USA. as regrettable. Akinola wondered why the report was released when the body which set up the committee was yet to deliberate on it and declared that the Anglican Church in Africa would not be part of any act tantamount to desecrating the body of Christ.
He said the issue would be part of the agenda of African Anglican bishops who are scheduled to meet in Lagos this week but noted that rather than pull out of the church outright, they would rather have no dealing with that particular branch having a gay bishop.
Other dignitaries at the thanksgiving which was followed by a reception at the Hill Station Hotel, Jos included Governor Jolly Nyame of Taraba State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel of Ogun State and Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Mr. Labaran Maku.
