.Those deciding Nigerians’ fate don’t read newspapers
.We can’t save Nigeria by big English
The ship of Nigeria is sinking, no one is safe anymore, and unless right steps are taken, it may be too late to save the country from the imminent danger of extinction, the presiding cleric of the Livingspring Chapel International, Pastor Femi Emmanuel, has said.
Pastor Emmanuel spoke on Friday at a press conference billed to herald the 2021 Annual World Lifting Conference of the ministry, founded 28 years ago.
The weeklong programme, themed, ‘Multiplication,’ holding between December 13 and 19, would feature youth empowerment, seminar on godly family, medical outreach, prayers and miracle, and godliness, among others. Among those who would minister at the conference are the President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Wale Oke; and lead gospel artiste, Tope Alabi.
Pastor Emmanuel, who doubles as the National Director, Politics and Governance of PFN, said, “Nigerians are a different specie of people. Our electricity does not work, education is in a sorry state. I am sure we cannot continue like this.
“Nigeria can change in five to 10 years if we have good people there. And, there are good people there; there are good people in the church as well as in other faith in Nigeria. Today in Nigeria, the priests have been locked out so the king is doing what he likes.
“The root of our problem was the amalgamation of 1914. The colonialists saw that we were not one people but yoked us together. Nigeria is a country of many nations forced together. The ethnic groups don’t have the same set of value, we don’t speak the same language, our cultures are different. We never agreed on anything. We were to have independence in 1957 but the North held us down for three years.
“The almajiris that you saw years ago have grown to be bandits and the younger almajiris are still coming up.
“The solution to Nigeria’s problem is restructuring. Our fundamental problem is that Nigeria is a fraud. What we have as our constitution are military decrees. We cannot amend the constitution that we have now. Each region could have developed at its own pace using its resources.”
On the violent agitations in parts of the country, he said, “May there be no war in Nigeria. The problem is that patriotic Nigerians are not at the level at which they can decide the fate of the country. Our constitution does not have referendum. It is a lie that Nigeria cannot be negotiated. Nigeria was a product of negotiation in the first place. The delegates that would elect those who would represent us are those who fight over N200.
“Our church fathers are sincerely ignorant. If we are too holy, too clean to go into politics, things will continue to degenerate.
“We are determined to initiate and lead the process of change in all spheres of human endeavour and in all sectors of the economy. We are set to redefine governance in this nation. We are set to exhibit the light and the salt that we are, according to Matthew 5:13-16.
“We are set to make our impact better felt, not just as a religious organization but as a partner with the government in the areas of youth empowerment, provision of basic infrastructural facilities, establishment of schools, hospitals and provision of other facilities; playing a supportive role together with the government in stemming the tide of insecurity, corruption among many other trending vices bedevilling our society.
“A burning issue of common concern is that of insecurity. The state of insecurity has escalated to an alarming proportion in the recent past where hundreds of innocent Nigerians are being killed on a daily basis for reasons no one can fathom.
“Incidences of armed robbery, kidnappings, murder, rape and incest have become part of our nation’s nomenclature and has gradually dented the image of this country in the light of the global community. Precious Human lives are being callously wasted without scruple by groups of terrorists both within and outside the country and by misguided religious fundamentalists. Nigeria is under a siege of banditry; assassination and terrorism. No one is safe anymore. Worse still, the situation is deteriorating by the day. This is totally unacceptable.
“I would like to use this opportunity to talk about some of the problems bedevilling our great and dear country Nigeria. A burning issue of common concern is that of insecurity. The state of insecurity has escalated to an alarming proportion in the recent past where hundreds of innocent Nigerians are being killed on a daily basis for reasons no one can fathom.
“Incidences of armed robbery, kidnappings, murder, rape and incest have become part of our nation’s nomenclature and has gradually dented the image of this country in the light of the global community. Precious Human lives are being callously wasted without scruple by groups of terrorists both within and outside the country and by misguided religious fundamentalists. Nigeria is under a siege of banditry; assassination and terrorism. No one is safe anymore. Worse still, the situation is deteriorating by the day. This is totally unacceptable.
“Without mincing words, Nigeria is in a serious predicament and unless something is done quickly to redress the situation, the hope is bleak.
“Today, Nigeria is in a terrible war, both with herself and with some invading militias, in different forms and guises. As a servant of God and an intercessor, I have always believed in the potency of prayer. The centrality of prayer in the political transformation agenda of Nigeria cannot be overstressed. It is important however, to note that prayer alone is not enough. The church community in Nigeria must come to realised that in addition to fervent intercession we must actually get involved in the affairs of managing and governing the country.
“We should be involved in all relevant areas including voting, recruiting, selecting and putting people in political offices from the local government level to the presidency, if we are to see the new Nigeria that we have all earnestly yarned for. We can no longer afford to stand aloof or sit on the fence. We can no longer afford to fold our arms and watch ungodly leaders sink the ship of this nation. We can no longer afford to watch this present crop of leaders mortgage our future. The church that is supposed to be the light and the salt of the earth can no longer afford to be rendered prostrate by bad governance and ungodly governmental policies. The church can no longer afford to leave the choice of leaders to those myopic, uneducated and corrupt elements. It is high time the church changed her perspective about politics and woke up to her responsibilities.
“We are determined to initiate and lead the process of change in all spheres of human endeavour and in all sectors of the economy. As a people, we are set to redefine governance in this nation. We are set to exhibit the “light” and the “salt” that we are, according to Matthew 5:13-16.
“We are set to make our impact better felt, not just as a religious organization but as a partner with the government in the areas of youth empowerment, provision of basic infrastructural facilities, establishment of schools, hospitals and provision of other facilities; playing a supportive role together with the government in stemming the tide of insecurity, corruption among many other trending vices bedevilling our society.”
Further on the weeklong church programme, the Chairman of the Conference, Pastor Akin Akinbo, said that Monday, December 13, is for Leaders Meeting, Tuesday, the conference would be declared opened. On Wednesday, Workers Conference would hold, Friday would be for seminars, Sunday is for thanksgiving. There would be free distribution of foodstuffs to people who are not buoyant so that they too can enjoy the bliss of Christmas.”
