President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerians to embrace love, unity, and peaceful coexistence, saying no nation can make progress without these values.
Tinubu gave the charge on Saturday during the funeral mass of Madam Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, held at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) Headquarters, Jos, Plateau State.
Speaking at the service, Tinubu said the gathering reflected the character and integrity of the APC national chairman, describing the late Madam Yilwatda as a woman who lived a life of faith, service, and impact.
“We are gathered to honour Mama Lydia Yilwatda, the mother of our party chairman. She lived a good life and left behind a good name and a worthy son,” Tinubu said. “You are a good seed, Nentawe, and you must succeed. Your mother prayed for you, and her legacy will continue to bless this nation.”
The President said his own life exemplified religious tolerance and unity, noting that despite being a Muslim, his wife is a Christian pastor and that they have lived harmoniously without religious conflict.
“I inherited Islam by birth and found no reason to change. My wife is a pastor; she prays for me, and there has never been any conflict between us. I believe in freedom of religion — we all pray to the same God,” Tinubu said. “Our deeds, love for one another, and character are what truly matter, not our method of worship.”
He thanked the Church for its role in promoting peace and unity in Nigeria and commended religious leaders in Plateau State for their efforts toward peacebuilding.
Addressing Prof. Nentawe, Tinubu praised his leadership qualities, describing him as “a thinker, a performer, and a progressive leader.” He said the massive turnout of dignitaries was a testament to his integrity and his mother’s good legacy.
In his sermon, Rev. Dr. Mudimka Yohanna, Chairman of the Provincial Church Council, COCIN Jos, reminded attendees that life is transient and urged them to live purposefully.
“There is a time to be born and a time to die. What matters is how we live between those two times,” he said. “Mama Lydia and her husband lived selflessly, serving God and humanity without amassing wealth. They sowed good seeds that are now bearing fruit.”
He quoted Revelation 14:13, saying, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, for they will rest from their labour and their deeds will follow them.”
In an emotional tribute, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda described his late mother as a strong, hardworking, and prayerful woman who devoted her life to family and faith.
“My mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness 47 years ago, but God preserved her life. She worked tirelessly to ensure we had the best education despite our father’s modest missionary income,” he said. “I thank President Tinubu and all dignitaries for standing by me and my family. I have lost both parents, so, Mr. President, please adopt me as your son.”
Representing the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, who stood in for Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, said the glowing tributes at the funeral were proof that Madam Yilwatda lived a fulfilled life and had gone to rest in heaven.
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, led members of the National Assembly to the event, which was also attended by governors from Akwa Ibom, Edo, Kebbi, Delta, Taraba, Lagos, Ogun, Kogi, and Jigawa states.
Other dignitaries included former governors of Plateau State, members of the Plateau State House of Assembly, ministers, and prominent national leaders who came to pay their respects.
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