 South African anti-apathite hero Desmond Tutu dies aged 19, but the death of course we will be taking a look at his life and the fight against apathite. What becomes of South Africa? Also on the breakfast, railway operators ignores government's free ride directives and sells ticket at inflated prices. And as always we take a look at the papers this morning for a quick review of the biggest stories making headlines across Nigeria. Great to have you on the breakfast here on PLOS TV Africa. I am Osauge Ogbama. And I am messable for happy holidays. Yes happy holidays that we don't get but happy holidays regardless. It's a good thing you know seeing less traffic across Lagos this morning on a public holiday and of course in the Christmas period. So of course welcome once again and we hope that we have a very very interesting Monday. We always like to start with some of the biggest stories and biggest conversations across the country. And yesterday Sunday of course Christmas services across Nigeria celebrate in the birth of Jesus Christ but there was something in particular that makes our first and second top trending stories this morning. The first one was in Kaduna state where Muslims did attend Sunday service to celebrate with Christians and of course to push you know for unity across Nigeria which was very interesting to see. A couple of those pictures and a couple of those people there was even pictures of videos rather of persons dressed in the Father Christmas outfit but doing the Muslim prayers. Mohammed Salah the Liverpool footballer also made the news because of his Christmas photo with his family and so these were some of the things that yes you can see that on your screen. I don't know who's on that who's in that picture though I don't know if that is Jesus or Jesus uncle but you can see that on your screen Muslims yes that's the picture. Who's that on the frame? I really don't know you know the conversations surrounding whether that's Jesus or not. We were just in the movies I mean. Who is this white guy? I mean it's something to laugh about that was also you know. Why you put on weights? No let's not even go there because I'm sure that we can actually just have a great time with this. This one is a little chubby. You know some people say that Jesus is but the apparantly he's added some weight and all of that. I mean that's on a lighter note but you know the internet has actually broken with a lot of comic comments if you look at that especially with that particular picture but let's even get to the crux of the matter I mean the you know the most important thing there is the fact that you could see that Muslims attended service which you know to some extent is also part of the tradition from time to time you get to see that happen and that's why I think that we're actually we should be moving towards you know society where we we can tolerate ourselves I mean where we can tolerate religious difference the fact that you believe your your booty is whatever it is that you're believing doesn't necessarily make you you know about this I should be able to tolerate and so I'm not trying to even you know force our religion on anybody's throat the most important thing is the fact that we're Nigerians and that should always be the watch what so whether or not you are from you know the south or the east or the west or the north and whether or not your Christian or Muslim or your traditionalist and whatever it is we should be able you know to put out all of that really just different so it was a beautiful thing but I hope it translates into you know actual peace and we say together not just a show of you know one-off thing it's really mostly you know about encouraging these people who you know made this move you know to continue to spread that message of you know unity you know across the country regardless of religious differences you know there should be more religious tolerance there should be more you know acceptance on understanding you know that we may believe in different religions you know have different type of religious books but you know the most important thing is love and unity and and understanding you know you know differences they always describe Nigeria as a place that has that thing when they say unity now diversity and some of all of that so it's a great move you know what's important is that these persons continue to spread that same message because there's those who also do not agree and if you look at the backlash at the Mohammed Salah picture you will see that there's a lot of people who a lot of Muslims who don't even agree you know with this idea with celebrating Christmas with you know with celebrating with their Christian brothers and sisters and so this message needs on pictures like this except that that Jesus pictures in work but moves like this need to be encouraged you know and people need to do more of such in across the whole country you know in the north in the south east and west everybody needs to be on the same train and continue to do the same thing I don't know much you know about and this might be an unpopular opinion I don't know much about Christians going into the mosque in to celebrate Salah but I know that Christians at the same time you know do not have you know a lot of those issues you know with regards religious intolerance there's a lot of people who welcome their Muslim brothers and sisters they do all they possibly can to ensure that you know they understand that we are one and so it's a great thing and you know we should encourage it as a people and as a country right from top to bottom of the president all the way down to you know the you know common Nigerian everyone should have the same message and the same energy around religious celebrations every time and you know the ability to you know look at everyone as one that's the most important thing absolutely and for more Salah that's always a tradition for him and he constantly comes that comes with a lot of you know back lashing and what have you the comments would always be there but I'm sure that you know if you look at the Quran not that I'm you know great student of the Quran but you also see even if the Quran did not categorically state talking about Christmas and what have you but he said that you should be compassionate and treat people right of all the religion and and I always say that the tenet of Christianity and you know the Islamic religion if you look at it at the same we're talking about love and that's the most important thing respect respect for one another treat people humanity and that's all that's about so it doesn't really matter whatever you're believing it doesn't matter what you you worship and who you call it's okay as long as you're human being one Nigerians we should be able to treat ourselves right so it's a good one I hope that we sustain this you know absolutely the most you know the biggest you know talking points you know from all of this where the with this picture which we showed you and of course the most a la picture and the video of the you know Farah Christmas you know doing his Muslim prayers you know I think there was about two or two different videos like that you know that emerged over the weekend but it's great to see and then also still talking of course in the same you know space the Shiites also were part of the celebration of Christmas you know they attended some church services also to you know celebrate with their Christian brothers and sisters and to also pretty much share the same message and that's also a very very beautiful picture that you see right there you know for you know a couple of people they might see it as you know theatrics and whatnot but for me what's most important is the you know is the the motive behind it and you know the energy around it you know and the fact that a lot of people will you know see it as a way of uniting religious religions across Nigeria you know the most one of the biggest challenges that we have as a country is the things that divide us you know politics religion tribe and the and the likes and so these you know moves here and thereby these persons whoever it is they brought up these ideas and then sure that they went ahead to do it should be celebrated they should continue to push for similar actions across the country including in Muslim holidays and the likes yes and I think we should also try a little bit of acceptance for traditional traditionalists yes because you have a lot of people who I mean a lot of persons who don't believe in Christianity a lot of persons who don't believe in whatever I mean different religion though of course you know Niger have to I mean major religion so you're talking you're Christian or you're Muslim but you also have traditional is you have a lot of people and there's some people don't believe in all of that you're not Christians you're not this you're not that but they're traditionalism we should be able to respect people's choices it doesn't make them less of a human whether they believe that there's a stone and that's the stone that gives them they pray to a stone they believe there's a stone that made them it's fine it's really you know so for a lot of those religions you know and that's that's where you know a lot of people get it wrong you know most people believe that there is that one God it is the you know path through which they assess that God that differs you know Christians is different from Muslims is different for the grail message you know members is different for the air can cause it's different for the rustic Christians is different for the traditionalist is different and it's really just the more the pathway through which you assess that God that you believe in but most importantly you know it's a belief that there is a God and even those who don't believe that there is a God we should continue to accept you know as long as they do not in any way infringe on your own rights to practice your own religion then accept them as they are and not even trying to you know force your you know how some you find some people who are believers or preachers who represent particular religion would try to want to force their religion on other people I just think that you know it's not supposed to be so because we are free free human beings I mean we're well human beings that are free we have been given a mind we have to think we can think on our own and I'm thinking that it wouldn't be right for us but majorly my concern is the reaction surrounding the fact that the shah it's actually visited you know some churches across the entire country to celebrate still the same thing a lot of people are not in support and one of the arguments that people are putting forth is that oh this is also the fact that you're not in terms with the Sunnis and so it's more like trying to form an alliance division so my point is must we always you know be at that point where we look at things and we begin to say oh they're actually coming together this is not just a I want just sure this should be an undertone you know we're beginning to read meanings so it they're trying to form an alliance with the Christians and that's because you're not in tunes with the Sunnis and what have you but if you look at it it has always been part of their tradition and I know that a lot of people were not support as much as you can't find in the Quran where they say you have the which wish Christians Merry Christmas and what have you and all of that but some of the tenets some of the potions on the Quran would actually tell you how to be very tolerant to respect them treat them with respect be kind to them tolerate them and love them and so it's still one and the same thing that we're talking about and like you had mentioned I'm thinking it's time that we constantly encourage all of this I'm sure we'll go a long way in reducing all of the tension that we're faced with in the country and just constantly we see ourselves as one it should be a message you know from you know the spirit spiritual and traditional and political leadership and not just you know a word of mouth you know there should be acts you know that you see across the country by these persons that encourage immunity but what do we put the native doctors they who they well you know it's still you know put them in the traditionalist yeah but is it okay to have you know native doctors come to church absolutely absolutely so so I think without we being very judgmental about them so I think it's really because of the notion that we have about these persons and where they get their powers from but they also believe you know in the in the source of their powers you know comes from you know God I believe so it's really just that understanding and the stereotype that we've placed on these persons but they are traditionalist and you know every now and then you hear that you hear this thing about adult people you know people who make these statements that oh if you could every other person has a you know an uncle has a shrine or you know some you know small small shrine in back of the house which is not true but that's a stereotype that has been placed on you know on my people basically it's a stereotype that has been placed you know in the same way when they say oh you know you you know your people fly a lot you know it already has painted it you know in a negative way but you know I would continue to say you know as long as their religion and the practice of their religion doesn't infringe on your own practice or doesn't in any way hurt your own practice of your religion then let everybody be who they want to be and we'll all be fine alright alright moving away from talking about religious well the things that happen over the weekend in churches and celebration of Christmas let's also talk about something not very good now and that is the fire disaster at the next cash and carry supermarket in Abuja there of course was breaking news sometime yesterday that the supermarket was a superstore was on fire but that's not the only thing that made headlines initially it was that the place was being looted while you know fire service was you know still trying to sort out the fire yeah you have a videos of the store really really really really sad the video of the store being burnt but of course you know pictures then emerged short videos emerged of people moving property and goods from the superstore which initially seemed like these were looters because I'm sure that everyone remembers what happened in 2020 here in Lagos and a few other places in the country but apparently of course information reaching us much later in the day showed that these goods weren't actually looted they were saved from the fire by Nigerians who ran into the superstore to see what they could salvage which is also a very brilliant thing in the spirit of Christmas you would expect because initially I was gonna say that well you know it's not it's not peculiar to Nigeria you know to see looters even in the United States you see people looting stores but you know eventually this turned out to be a good story that some of the goods that were you know in the store were salvaged by citizens who were able to rush in and make sure that they put them or bring them out we're hoping of course we would still like to get further details and further information on this but we're hoping that the fire service was able to at least save the store to some extent now you know you know that first of all like you have mentioned a very commendable of you know the people around to be very kind and that is part of the element of humanity we constantly talk about because you know as humans I would always say that we're human beings and as long as you have that at the back of your mind it just informs how you treat the next person and how you relate it's all about love it necessarily doesn't even matter who you are or what you are but you know when when it's time that you're able to show that gesture so great one but my concern is do you know that when we get to this part of the time I mean this period do you type period every other time it's serious fire outbreak I'm not saying that fire incident don't really happen every other time but mostly the festive period so you want to begin to run that check right now entire the country looking at the entire country I mean 36 states of the FCT you front of that pockets of fire outbreak here and there now I should think that you know the fire service apart from the fact that you're firefighters should always end back on was it called sensitization we you know go out there and put out that message I don't know how to do it maybe campaigns via television via radio what have you go to the market places and let people understand you know what they need to do so that we can get not get to that point what we have a fire outbreak because from different things it could just be some carelessness from the sergeant what have you the things that people need to know so so that it's more of a saying you we need to be more proactive so we reduce the incidents and all of these fire incidents that happen because if we constantly engage the people we educate the people we carry out this campaigns and what have you people would know what to do and what not to do and they will not get to that point what we have to and then also I don't know if it's all presence of the Nigerian police because it's a good thing that you know the police wasn't looted and then you had people working but usually when you have an incident like expecting that you see men of the Nigerian police was around and all their security agents well in other countries you would have the fire service there within minutes and you know that of course it comes along with the police you'd also within minutes but we're Nigerian and you know in response to the thing that you said initially 9 in Nigeria is one of the countries in the world that never learns so we never learn any lessons we never make any changes you know after disaster strikes nothing nothing is bad enough for us as a country for us to actually learn lessons and make changes that's why I say this it's not the first time that we're here in a supermarket fire it's also not the first time that we're hearing of a market now you know an actual market being burned but you would see that nothing really ever changes with policies with building structures with you know licensing and some of all of that after that fire you know we simply just wait for the next one and then complain again if you remember months ago there was the Ibaneau fire that I remember that I went on on screen that morning and I spoke a little bit about the absence of the thing called a sprinkler system and you know of course when you're building superstores I'm sure that there's you know bodies that that should give you a license I should be able to check you know that it is safe that we have every single bit of fire safety mechanism in the stores Nigerian superstores I do not believe have adequate and you know functional fire systems a sprinkler system in every store that every time that there is a fire it goes off and you and you ensure that of course it tries it at least does to some extent put out the fire I don't think we do and we simply would move on until there is the next fire disaster a superstore that will cost billions of Nair should have no excuse there's no excuse why that store should not have an appropriate inadequate sprinkler system what is fire response system but we don't seem to make all those changes and if you look also in the market places when there's a market fire we complain traders you know complain that they've lost all their goods and whatnot but we move on by the next week and nothing seems to change how much different is how much more effective is the Nigerian fire service after every fire disaster how much more effective is the building a framework for building a marketplace after every fire disaster there's nothing that changes there is no fire hydrants there is no you know building the markets in a way that a fire truck can get into every single part of the market nothing absolutely nothing changes until the next fire disaster and then we'll have the same conversation and move on so we don't actually learn lessons I'm expecting that every superstore in the country right now should invest doesn't matter how much it will cost in an effective sprinkler system and it may be a small fire station close to it but rather than you know just wait for you know the fire service to show up usually there are always several excuses why you know they can show up and probably not have feel in the truck or probably don't have enough water to come through and all of that where you know all of that will be sorted hopefully all right that's of course our top trend stories for this morning we'll take a short break when we come back let's look at the major stories making headlines across Nigeria this morning and we will have our guest joining us to share his thoughts on these stories stay with us