‘Seize What’s In Front Of You, Owo’. Read What Nikki Haley Would’ve Told Arakunrin Akeredolu
The Oasis Reporters
June 24, 2022
Transcript Of What South Carolina’s
Gov. Nikki Haley Would Have Said To Governor Rotimi Akeredolu
St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owaluwa, Owo, Ondo State that has been there, serving generations of believers was violently invaded and worshipers gunned down by gun toting bandits, killing scores of unarmed men, women and children in huge rage…
All right, so normally I try to get ya’ll ready and I’m just not going to try to do that with my thumbs up today so hopefully ya’ll are ready to go.
This has been a very difficult time for Ondo state. We have stared evil in the eye and watched good prayerful people killed in one of the most sacred of places. We were hurt and broken and we needed to heal. We were able to start that process, not by talking about issues that divide us, but by holding vigils, by hugging neighbors, by honoring those we lost and by falling to our knees in prayer.
Ondo state’s grieving, but we are also coming together. The outpouring of love and support from all corners of people across this state and country has been amazing. Their expression of faith and forgiveness took our breath away. They truly have shown the world what Ondo looks like at our best, and the Church has reopened its doors and we saw what true faith looks like. True hate can never triumph over true love. The heart and soul of Owo is starting to mend.
The heart of our state; Let me talk a little bit about the people of Ondo that Arakunrin is privileged to serve. The country and the world have watched our strength and resilience over the last few days. We are strong people who love God, our families, and have a deep faith. We believe in neighbors helping neighbors. We are a state that has held tight to our traditions and continues to grow and change in ways that move us forward.
We are amongst the friendliest state in the country and the most patriotic too.
We did not respond with rioting and violence, like other places do, after the kind of violent betrayal we’ve just seen by bandits. We responded by talking to each other, by putting ourselves in other people’s shoes, and by finding common ground in the name of moving our state forward.
May Ondo State heal. God bless our land. God bless Nigeria.
Abridged and adapted from the original speech made by Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina in the grieving aftermath of the shooting in Emanuel Church by a young white supremacist, killing nine worshippers.
