Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has urged the political class in the country including himself to appreciate the temporal nature of leadership by making necessary sacrifices to better the lot of the people while in office.
Diri made the call on Monday at a state banquet organized for the Muslim Ummah in the state as part of this year's Eid-al-Adha celebrations in Yenagoa.
Represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the governor said the banquet was put together by his administration in the spirit of sacrifice and love which the Islamic festival symbolizes.
He identified lack of selfless and sacrificial leaders both at the national and sub-national levels as a major stumbling block to the development of the country.
According to him, "Nigeria is where it is today because truly selfless and patriotic leaders who are ready to serve the people, rather than being served are in acute short supply."
"Prophet Ibrahim was obedient to Allah even to the point of sacrificing his son in order to be blessed. So the lesson for us is to be willing to make sacrifice for society to become a better place.
"If you go to Bauchi State and see the House of the late Tafawa Balewa, you will agree with me that he served selflessly; the same is the story of the Saudauna of Sokoto and our own Chief Melford Okilo, who was the first civilian Governor of old Rivers State from Ogbia here.
"They were all sacrificial leaders who served the people of this country well. But today everybody wants to be served.
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Everybody that finds him or herself in leadership wants to amass wealth to the detriment of the people."
He, however, called on Nigerians, leaders and followers alike, to imbibe the virtues of sacrifice and obedience to God and their government to foster a united, peaceful and progressive society.
In his welcome address, the immediate past Special Adviser to the Governor on Religious Matters, Rev. Godspower Asingba, lauded the muslim ummah in the state for supporting the policies and programmes of the Diri-led Administration and urged them to continually promote religious harmony.
In this address, the Vice Chairman of the Bayelsa State Council for Islamic Affairs, Malam Usman Ali Galadanchi, expressed the council's gratitude to the present administration for giving the Muslim Ummah in the state a sense of belonging by always identifying with them during their major religious festival.
No fewer than 200 Muslim Ummah, including the Chief Imam of Bayelsa State, Zakaria Alaowei, Secretary of the state Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Yakubu Boleigha, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bayelsa Chapter, Very Rev. Father Joseph Opelema, Chaplain, King of Glory Chapel, Government House, Abraham Yallah, among others, attended the state banquet.
