Jos, Nigeria – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday restated his administration’s commitment to fairness across religious lines, assuring Christians in Northern Nigeria that his government is dedicated to unity, peace, and prosperity for all Nigerians.
Speaking at the funeral service of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, held at the COCIN Headquarters in Jos, Plateau State, the President declared that he came with a message of peace and inclusiveness.
“I have a mission to unite this country, ensure its prosperity, and we are making progress,” President Tinubu said. He noted that his own family reflects religious harmony: “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.”
The President urged Christian leaders to continue to trust his leadership, stressing that managing diversity is a duty of leadership. He also reiterated his administration’s resolve to end insecurity. “We are defeating bandits, and we will defeat them. We will deal with them and combat the farmers-herders clashes,” he assured.
Paying tribute to the late Mama Lydia, who passed on at the age of 83, Tinubu described her as a devoted mother and humanitarian. He recalled Jos’s historic role in Nigeria’s political journey, linking it to the era of the late MKO Abiola.
Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, the APC National Chairman and chief mourner, praised his mother’s resilience, recalling that she lived on medication for 47 years but never relented in working hard for her family and community.
President of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Reverend Dr Amos Mohzo, speaking on behalf of the clergy, thanked President Tinubu for supporting Northern Christians with key appointments such as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and Professor Yilwatda himself as APC Chairman. He appealed to the President to support conflict victims in Benue and facilitate the safe return of displaced Christian communities in Borno and Adamawa.
The solemn event drew top dignitaries, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Governors under the APC, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, his predecessor Boss Mustapha, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, ministers, senators, former governors, members of the APC National Working Committee, and former House Speaker Yakubu Dogara.
The funeral service, marked by prayers, tributes, and calls for unity, became both a celebration of Mama Lydia’s life and a reaffirmation of President Tinubu’s pledge to heal divisions and strengthen Nigeria’s social fabric.
