Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on Plateau elites to unite around former Governor and Senator Jonah David Jang to achieve “an enduring peace in Plateau.”
He made the call at the 80th birthday celebration and book launch titled From Airman to Politics: My Life, the autobiography of Jonah David Jang.
“I challenge the elites of Plateau, all seated here, to rally around this poor old man (Jonah Jang), and let’s bring an enduring peace to Plateau,” he said.
VP Shettima also pledged federal support for the state’s agricultural transformation.
“I told the governor that I have a small factory for net houses in Abuja. I will give you 10,000 net houses. Plateau doesn’t need to produce maize or millet. No, Plateau can indulge in high-earning commodities.”
“Plateau can produce grapes, apples, and export flowers and potatoes,” he added.
“So I believe that, with the right mix, we can make Plateau a symbol of national cohesion and unity.”
The Vice President recalled his personal connection to the state:
“The first house I owned in this world was here in Jos, not in Maiduguri. We all believe in peace. We all believe in Plateau, but through this poor old man (Jonah Jang), we can rally around him and bring an enduring peace to Plateau.”
He quoted civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. in urging reconciliation:
“As Martin Luther King rightly said, ‘Let us learn to live together as brothers, or perish together as fools.'”
“What binds us together surpasses whatever divides us. I ask you, I beseech you, I implore you; please, let us learn to forgive one another,” he admonished.
According to him, “Life is measured by the difference we make among our people. What endures is the good we leave behind in human lives.
“Our celebrant this afternoon is a sentinel of our history and a father to generations.
“We are gathered here to thank His Excellency, Senator Jonah David Jang, for the eight years he gave to a country that had no claim on him beyond his love for it.
“We thank him for the uniform he wore in its defence. We thank him for the offices he held in its service. We thank him for the peace he has pursued on the Plateau.
“Baba Jang is a father to all of us. He is a father beyond the Berom who claim him, beyond Plateau State that raised him, beyond the faith he professes, and beyond the platform on which he served. He is our father,” Shettima maintained.
“Life has been kind to you because you have spent your years being kind to your country. We celebrate that grace with you today.
“We thank you for believing in your people. We thank you for believing that peace is always worth pursuing, even when it demands patience, even when it demands forgiveness, even when it demands courage that no one can measure,” he stressed.
VP Shettima urges Plateau elites to rally around Jang for lasting peace