…Receives awards from Imo, Abia muslims
From: GEORGE ONYEJIUWA, OWERRI
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has reiterated that every part of Nigeria is home to all Nigerians.
This followed the insistence by Arewa youths that the Igbo living in the North of the country must leave region on or before October 1, 2017,saying that it is very wrong for the Arewa youths to insist Igbo must go back to their region.
This was just as he has assured all Northerners living in the state of their safety and that no one should leave the state on account of the quit order to Igbos by Arewa youths, stressing that Nigeria is one indivisible and indissoluble nation under God.
Okorocha stated this on Monday night when broke fast with Muslims in the state at the Government House, Owerri. the state capital.
He maintained that Nigerians ought to have outgrown such petty ethnic sentiments as every Nigerian has the inalienable rights to settle in any part of the country and that why the Igbo live and also marry in the North, same the Arewa and Yoruba people.
According to him , “We are here as a tradition to break the fast with our Muslim brothers who have been fasting for so many weeks now. We are here to dramatise unity and love for one another. We Nigerians must learn to respect each other’s religion because religion has a lot to do with every individual or society. “We should also be our brothers’ keeper as preached by every religion. I want to assure all Muslims in Imo State that you are safe in the State. Let no one leave the State for any reason at all. This is Nigeria and Nigeria is one nation, indivisible and indissoluble”.
He added, “When we heard about the call by the Arewa Youths asking the Igbos to go back home, I said to them which home? Nigeria is our Country, Nigeria is our home and as such we must love one another. I tell all of you here that Imo State is your home irrespective of your religion. Feel free and keep the laws of the land because we are one and shall remain one in God’s name”.
Meanwhile, leader of the Muslim Community in Imo State, Alhaji Yusuf Nwaoha, and his Abia State counterpart, Alhaji Usman Mohammadu, thanked the governor for sustaining the breaking of fast with Muslim faithful in the state in the last six years and enjoined him to hand over the legacy to his successor come 2019.
They also thanked the government and people of the state for the peaceful co-existence between Christians and Muslims and called for its sustenance.
The two Muslim leaders honoured the governor with awards. While the Muslim leader in the state, Alhaji Yusuf gave award to the governor as the Most Muslim Friendly Governor in Nigeria, his Abia State counterpart, Alhaji Mohammadu gave the governor award as the National Bridge Builder.