Nigerians Advice To Pray For Wisdom To Understand The Content Of Our National Anthem- Says Sarah Jubril
By: Nwanma Ogidi
Occurrences of the 2023 general elections resonated loudly at the maiden edition of the Courageous Citizens award ceremony held in Abuja at the weekend.
Dr Sarah Jubril, the chairperson of the 2024 Courageous Citizens award, in her address enjoins citizens to pray for wisdom to understand the content of the National Anthem as well as the codes of office as leaders and the led.
She made this call at the maiden Courageous Citizens Award organized by Nigerian-American Coalition of Justice and Democracy, NACJD, which took place recently in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, where she was chairperson of the occasion.
Mummy Sarah said, “During the 2024 Courageous citizens award, that “Excellence comes when people abide with the principles and standards of doing what they are assigned or chose to do” To this effect, Dr. Sarah Jubril enjoins Nigerians, to ask God to help us understand the content of our National Anthem, to guide our leaders and citizens alike on their respective oath of office and oath of allegiance.
She implores citizens to read; Islamise and Christianise Nigeria, a book written by Professor Sani Abubakar Lugga, The Waziri of Katsina which was sponsored by The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’adAbubakar, CFR, mni.
According to the Octogenarian, “the book among other things clearly establishes the closeness and similarities between Islam and Christianity in laws, rules, and regulations, on social, economic, administrative and other worldly affairs and how to conduct these affairs peacefully and harmoniously”.
She however congratulated the organisers of the Award for allowing themselves to be guided by ethics to be able to fish out those who merit the Awards as she calls on all to be guided by ethics of their different calling.
Dr Sarah Jubril was one-time, first Nigerian woman presidential candidate, she entered the history books as the first woman in the Fourth Republic to seek, in a semiserious manner, to be the President of Nigeria.
In 2003, Dr Sarah Jubril pitched her tent with a little known Party, Progressive Action Congress (PAC) and flunked. In 2007, she threw her wig into the ring again, this time under the PDP. Her ambition has since vanished with her into the night of broken ambitions, but she remains a path-breaker.
Mummy Sarah, ones said in 2019, that “I didn’t come into politics to get popular. I came into politics with the mind of warring against the evils, and inhumanness I found when I came back from my study abroad,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the recipients, Mr. Peter Obi represented by Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, described the initiative to honour the ordinary citizens as a remarkable one though coated with mix feelings when you actually juxtapose it with what the ordinary citizens go through in the society. He reiterated that 2023 gave Nigerians hope that indeed a new Nigeria is possible as stereotypes were shattered, religious and ethnic lines of choices, were also shattered among other biases making the 2023 experience, a united Nigerian project as the people collectively stood for what was right.
Prof Eddie Oparaoji, the Chairman of the Ngerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy, (NACJD), who came from the USA for the event, earlier in his welcome address, emphasized that the event was put together to honour the true heroes of “our democracy”.
Prof Oparaoji stressed that, “this momentous occasion marks a significant milestone in our collaborative pursuit for Justice.” He described the awardees as ordinary citizens who for the purpose of change had demonstrated extraordinary courage to achieve remarkable feats under grave danger and risk. “These awe-inspiring individuals have proven to all of us that with resilience, Compassion and unwavering determination we can achieve the desired change in our country”.
According to the Mbaise born Professor, said “we are here to honour true heroes of our society ordinary citizens who have demonstrated extraordinary courage and achieved remarkable feats, even in the face of grave danger and risk to their lives.
Eddie further maintains that, “ Together, we stand united in our mission to create a world where justice, equity and human rights are upheld calling on the nation to reflect on the immense impact the awardees have made so that their actions may serve as constant reminder of the power of the human spirit.
NACJD Chairman congratulating the Awardees, he told them that their resilience and unwavering determination is an indication that Change is Possible and that everyone has the propensity to make a difference.
Responding after receiving the award, Aisha Yesuf in her own reaction openly declared, “2023 mandate was stolen and saying “am not afraid to say it. We are in prison today because we are afraid of dying, but I must tell you say, all die na die”.
She said “the leaders have failed the youths and they are leaving the country in droves and because they have destroyed the country, America, Canada, Australia and the rest of the world are now giving Nigeria different stringent immigration conditions “.
“We are waiting for them in 2027 and we will not allow them to repeat what they did in 2023. They did not win the election and they know it. They are giving us old National Anthem. l spoke against it and they said they will arrest me and am waiting for them”, she declared.
While in his own message, to the award as the Courageous Citizen of Valour, Hon. Dennis Agbo said he was heartened to know that his little efforts in the 2023 struggles to free Nigeria didn’t go unnoticed.
To him, “the fight to free Nigeria has just begun. The battle for freedom is not usually easy but it is not insurmountable. The 2023 elections was the take-off and we did not lose face’. he stressed.
Agbo urged the Nigerians especially the youths not to lose hope in the battle for change saying, “a new Nigeria is truly possible and we must all unite to rescue our nation from elements among us who indulge in State capture, rape of our democracy, and the pillaging of our common patrimony”.
While in his reaction, the Middle Belt Forum, (MBF), Comrade Bitrus Pogu, in his goodwill message chronicled the adoption of Peter Obi as the preferred candidate of the four ethnic nationalities comprising of Afenifere, MBF, Ohaneze and the South-South Pander.
Pogu noted that the zones first agreed that the presidency should go to the south and that having reached that consensus, the leader of Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo reasoned that since Obasanjo from the Southwest had been President, and Osibanjo from same region was just leaving office as Vice President, the Southeast should be given the Presidential slot because South-south had produced Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Pogu further stated that having reached that understanding, the three regions asked Ohaneze and the South East to give them a sellable candidate, hence the emergence of Peter Obi, away from the legacy Parties, and on an untainted Labour Party platform.
“And as soon as that happened we mobilized our people to support him because we believe in equity and the unity of the country”.
The high point of the event was the flashback video presentation of the 2023 General election, including Ex-President Obasanjo’s patriotic address to the Independent National Election, (INEC) to organise a re-run of the flawed Presidential election; the world press conferences addressed by Peter Obi and his Vice, and clips of various violence and irregularities recorded during both the presidential and gubernatorial elections of 2023. While the Obi\Datti vice presidential candidate, Dr Yusuf Datti spoke from his hospital bed in Kaduna, Datti admonished the Nigerian people on the need to still have hope. He thanked the organizers of the award. The CCA 2024 came to an end with national dram that showcased the unity of the nation, Nigeria.
About Courageous Citizens Award (CCA)
Courageous Citizens Award indeed echoes events of 2023 presidential elections, organized by the Nigerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy (NACJD) recognized ordinary Nigerians who believe that a new Nigeria is possible and fought for change in 2023.
The awardees were grouped into three categories which include;
Courageous Citizen Order of Distinction, (CCOD)
This went to the Labour Party Presidential Candidate and former Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi.
Courageous Citizens Order of Freedom, (CCOF)
This second category captured persons like Ex-president Obasanjo and leaders of some ethnic nationalities, and prominent religious groups, and social media influencers and media personalities, who were very vocal towards the journey for the desired change.
The second category award went to the Executive Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, Right Honourable Dennis Nnamdi AGBO who led the Vanguard for change and won the election under LP, to represent Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency of Enugu State in the National Assembly; Aisha Yesufu, Barrister Kenneth Okonkwo, ace television host, Rufai Oseni of Arise Television, Seun Okinbaloye of Channels TV, and Dr Ordinary Ahmed Isa of the Berekete radio fame.
Late Barrester Oyibo Chukwu, the Labour Party, (LP) Senatorial candidate for Enugu East Senatorial Zone of Enugu State, and Late Victoria Chintex from Kafanchan, Kaduna state the Labour Party Woman Leader from Kafanchan, Kaduna South in Kaduna State, both of whom were gruesomely murdered before the presidential election, were equally awarded post humously.
Courageous Citizens Medal of Valour, (CCMV)
The third was for which sought to recognize individuals who were the real foot soldiers at the forefront of the battle for change in the build-up and during the 2023 general elections.
Some of the beneficiaries of the Award include: Former President OlusegunObasanjo, HE Peter Obi, Bishop Mathew Kukah, Prof Nnenna Oti, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Charley Boy, Kanayo O. Kanayo, David Hundeyin, Sarkin Dariya, AishaYesufu among others. In all, there were 58 recipients of the 3-categories Awards: Courageous Citizens Order of Distinction, Courageous Citizens Order of Freedom and Courageous Citizens Medal of Valor.
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