Buhari urges cabinet to pray for Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to members of the Federal Executive Council, FEC to pray harder for a better and peaceful Nigeria.

Buhari made the appeal during the breaking of fast dinner for members of FEC at the new banquet hall of the State House, Abuja.

He noted that the Month of Ramadan was a special period when God was more favorably disposed to answering the prayers of the faithful.

He urged leaders to use the Ramadan period to reflect on their responsibilities to the governed.

“It strengthens our resolve to build our country to make it stronger and to make sure that the incoming generations are sufficiently motivated to be patriotic.

“It is no news that we are the biggest country in Africa, we are the economic engine of Africa, which are true by the way.

“But, we must always be patriotic in our dealings with others. This (Ramadan) month of prayers and service to God, let us keep on these prayers all the times, believing that God in His infinite mercy will listen to our prayers, give us peace, security and better the economy once more, so that we can quickly rebuild and even do more for the country.

“Let me assure that the time of Ramadan is making us more conscious of what leaders at every level ought to do, and leading the people is not a joke. It means accepting responsibilities for good or wrong,’’ he said.

He chided militants and those calling for the State of Biafra for not being mindful of the calamities that befell the country during the agitations of 1967-1970.

“We need a lot of prayers. Certainly, with the nation’s economy going down. We haven’t developed the agriculture. We are still trying to talk about those who will come and develop the solid mineral for us.

“The militants in their various homes. We need to reflect very seriously on what happened between 1967 and 1970 when about two million Nigerians lost their lives.

“And at that time, as young military officers, you hardly heard of anything about petroleum or whatever money you got from it.

“Look at what Gen. Gowon said; ‘To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done’ and every soldier, whether he had been to school or not knew what the General meant.

“But, we were quarrelling with our brothers, we were not fighting an enemy and then somebody is saying that once again he wants Biafra.

“I think this is because he was not born when there was Biafra. We have to reflect on the historical antecedent to appreciate what is before us now and what we intend to leave for our children and our grandchildren,’’ he said.