Pays Tribute to APC Chairman’s Mother in Jos
By Ajewole Joshua
Jos, Plateau State – October 4, 2025
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday assured Christian communities in Northern Nigeria of his administration’s commitment to religious fairness and national unity, during a visit to the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) headquarters in Jos, Plateau State.
The President made the pledge while meeting with Christian leaders and attending the funeral of Nana Lydia Yilwatda, mother of the APC National Chairman, Professor Nantawe Yilwatda, who passed away at the age of 83.
“I have a mission to unite this country, ensure its prosperity, and we are making progress,” President Tinubu said. Highlighting his personal experience, he noted, “In our family, we have a strong Muslim background, and I married a Christian, a pastor for that matter, and I have never forced her to change her religion.”
He urged religious leaders to have confidence in his administration, stressing that managing religious issues responsibly is part of leadership. The President also reaffirmed his administration’s determination to tackle insecurity, saying, “We are defeating bandits, and we will defeat them. We will deal with them and combat the farmers-herders clashes.”
On economic matters, President Tinubu emphasized that his government is working to revamp the economy for the benefit of all Nigerians.
During the funeral prayers, he described the late Nana Lydia Yilwatda as a devoted mother and humanitarian, recalling his earlier visits to Jos and his political engagements in the area during the SDP era.
Professor Nantawe Yilwatda, the chief mourner, praised his mother as a hard-working woman who lived with health challenges for decades while remaining committed to her family and humanitarian causes. He also thanked President Tinubu for supporting his emergence as APC National Chairman and pledged to maintain the trust placed in him.
Speaking on behalf of Northern Christian leaders, Reverend Dr. Amos Mohzo, President and Spiritual Leader of COCIN, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his appointments of Northern Christians to key positions, including Senator George Akume as Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Professor Nantawe Yilwatda as APC Chairman. Mohzo also commended the President for his actions to address insecurity in Plateau and Benue States and appealed for assistance for conflict victims in Benue and displaced Christian communities from Borno and Adamawa. He assured the President of continued support for the “Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The funeral was attended by notable dignitaries, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, AbdulRazaq Abdulrahman; APC governors; National Security Adviser Malam Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila; Ministers including Ayodele Olawande, Heineken Lokpobiri, Abubakar Momoh, and Zephaniah Jisalo; SGF George Akume and former SGF Boss Mustapha; former governors Tanko Al-Makura, Adamu Mu’azu, Fidelis Tapgun, Yahaya Bello, and Rochas Okorocha; members of the APC National Working Committee; Senators; members of the House of Representatives; former Speaker Yakubu Dogara; and directors from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
The event highlighted both national unity and the recognition of the contributions of Christian communities in Northern Nigeria.
