Gov. Mutfwang Advocates Unity, Education at Boss Mustapha’s 70th Thanksgiving in Yola
By Our Correspondent
Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has called for unity, mutual respect, collective leadership, and investment in education as pathways to national development during activities marking the 70th birthday of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, in Yola, Adamawa State.
The Governor spoke on Friday at a thanksgiving service and at the dedication of the Library and Administrative Complex of the proposed Lutheran University Nigeria in Demsa, Adamawa State.
Addressing dignitaries at the thanksgiving service, Governor Mutfwang said the period ahead requires “a new form of understanding and unity” among Middle Belt people and Nigerians. “The days ahead of us call for renewed thinking. We must operate on a new frequency, the frequency of unity,” he said.
He expressed concern over what he described as a tendency among some Middle Belt people and Christians to criticize their leaders excessively. He stated that no leader is perfect and urged the public to differentiate between constructive criticism and actions that weaken collective strength. “Those who deliberately set communities and leaders against one another can only deepen division and retard progress,” he said.
He added that leaders should not be “publicly humiliated or undressed in the market square.”
The Governor likened collective leadership to the military, where different units contribute to a common objective. “No individual or group should be despised because every contribution is important to the success of the collective,” he said. He urged leaders to lead from the front and called on citizens to support them.
Describing Boss Mustapha as “a quintessential leader, servant of his people and lover of God and humanity,” Governor Mutfwang said that celebrating a leader while alive reflects the impact the individual has made in public service.
He advised that the 70th birthday should not be viewed as retirement but as “the beginning of a new phase of leadership and responsibility.”
He also urged Mustapha to reach out to those who may have opposed him in the past to build a broader platform for progress. “Look for those who have opposed you in the course of your journey and let us come together and find a new energy to move ahead in the days to come,” he said.
At the dedication of the library and administrative complex of the proposed Lutheran University Nigeria, the Governor described the institution as “a significant investment in education, human capital development and the future of Nigeria,” pledging Plateau State’s support for the project.
Governor Mutfwang said education and healthcare remain “critical tools for national development” and recalled his own background in missionary education at Gindiri, Plateau State.
He noted that the contributions of Christian missionaries to education and healthcare in Nigeria had shaped generations and produced leaders across ethnic and religious lines.
“The proposed Lutheran University would similarly create opportunities for Nigerians from diverse religious, ethnic and social backgrounds to acquire quality education and develop the skills required to contribute meaningfully to national development,” he said.
He commended the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria, LCCN, for the initiative, noting that it continues a growing tradition within the TEKAN family of churches of establishing universities to expand access to quality education.
Beyond education, the Governor called for “sustainable unity” in Adamawa State and across the Middle Belt.
He commended Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, for “exemplary leadership, particularly his commitment to unity, equity, fairness and justice,” and urged the people of Adamawa to continue to rally around him.
“Divisions never bring profit; divisions never bring value. It is when we are united together that we can accomplish the dreams for which our forefathers fought and for which we are continuing to fight,” Mutfwang said.
He added that many divisions in society are driven more by “personal interests, ego and narrow considerations than by genuine differences in values or principles.” He urged leaders and citizens to “build bridges, strengthen relationships and advance common developmental objectives.”
The Plateau Governor also renewed his call for comprehensive reform of the Almajiri system in Northern Nigeria. He said deliberate efforts were needed to provide children in the system with “sustainable access to education, skills and opportunities,” arguing that human capital development is key to peace and prosperity in the region.
The celebrant, Boss Mustapha, said the university project was inspired by the legacy of his late father, a former headmaster who “believed strongly in the transformative power of education.”
He said the investment was aimed at contributing to the development of future generations and strengthening the educational foundation of the country.
Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who welcomed Mutfwang on behalf of the government and people of Adamawa, prayed that the university would produce graduates who are “not only academically competent but also morally grounded, intellectually sound and equipped with the character and leadership capacity required to move Nigeria forward.”
He also praised Mustapha for choosing to invest in education “rather than personal comfort.”
Governor Mutfwang prayed for God’s strength, good health and long life for Boss Mustapha, and for the successful completion and take-off of Lutheran University Nigeria, expressing hope that it would become “a centre of academic excellence, moral formation, innovation and human capital development.”
Present at the events were Senator George Akume, CON, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the Deputy Governor of Adamawa State, who represented Governor Fintiri; the Deputy Governor of Gombe State, who represented Governor Inuwa Yahaya; and other government officials, traditional rulers and religious leaders.
Governor Mutfwang was accompanied by a Plateau delegation comprising Rev. Dr. Obed Dashan, former Vice President, COCIN; Rt. Revd. Stanley David Fube, Anglican Bishop of Langtang; Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Go’ar, former Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly; Air Vice Marshal, Rtd, Sen. Napoleon Bali, former Senator, Plateau South; Sir Joseph Ari, former Director-General, Industrial Training Fund; Arc. Maurice Mutfwang; and Dame Pauline Tallen, who attended on personal invitation.
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