By Golok Nanmwa
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday delivered a powerful message against ethnic profiling and the cycle of violence in Plateau State, declaring that criminals have no tribe or religion and urging the younger generation to reject inherited hatred and embrace peace and reconciliation.
Speaking at the public presentation of the autobiography of former Plateau State Governor, Senator Jonah David Jang, as part of activities marking his 80th birthday in Jos, the Vice President said generations of young people in Plateau were carrying the burden of conflicts they neither created nor understood, warning that lasting peace would remain elusive unless the chain of revenge was broken.
“The young men and women of Plateau have inherited baggage they did not create. They carry the grievances of a generation they never met and the quarrels of a history they never wrote,” Shettima said.
He continued: “Tell them what hatred costs. Show them that forgiveness is the hardest labour a strong man ever undertakes and the only virtue greater than revenge.”
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, the Vice President added: “The weak can never forgive; forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
In what appeared to be one of the strongest statements on the lingering insecurity in Plateau, Shettima cautioned Nigerians against attributing the crimes of armed attackers to entire ethnic or religious groups.
“Those carrying out these atrocities have no mandate from any community. They represent no religion, no ethnicity and no culture. When innocent people are condemned for the sins of criminals, we deepen our divisions and hand victory to those who profit from violence.”
He lamented that years of bloodshed had turned once-thriving communities into centres of grief and fear.
“They turned fertile lands into places of mourning. They emptied markets of laughter. They sought to replace trust with suspicion and hope with fear. Yet, even in these painful moments, the people of Plateau have refused to surrender their humanity.”
The Vice President appealed to elder statesmen, particularly Senator Jang, to continue using their moral authority and influence to guide the younger generation towards peace.
“Baba, give them your ears, your patience and the wisdom of a guardian. Those who have earned the right to be heard on this subject must continue to speak.”
Shettima said Plateau occupies a unique place in Nigeria’s history and national development, noting that the state hosts strategic institutions that have continued to shape the country’s security architecture and public policy.
He also paid tribute to Jang, describing him as a patriot whose decades of military and public service had left an enduring legacy of sacrifice, courage and nation-building.
According to him, public office is temporary, but the impact of selfless service endures beyond political power.
“Life is measured by the difference we make among our people. Office passes from one hand to another. Power is temporary, but what endures is the good we leave behind in human lives.”
He prayed for God’s continued grace upon the former governor and called on Nigerians to remain united in building a country where peace, justice and security prevail over division and violence.
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