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The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has said Nigeria can still achieve greatness but warned that insecurity, economic hardship, corruption and the growing illicit drug trade must be urgently addressed.
The PFN national president, Archbishop Francis Wale Oke, stated this in his personally signed Independence Day message to Nigerians as the country marks its 66th anniversary.
Oke congratulated Nigerians on the occasion but urged them to use the anniversary for deep and honest reflection on the state of the nation.
He said although Nigeria had recorded progress in 66 years, the challenges confronting the country could no longer be ignored, particularly the threat to peace and security.
“The peace and security of our nation are vital, for without them, there cannot be any tangible progress,” he said.
Oke urged the Federal Government to flush bandits and terrorists out of the nation’s forests and bring them and their financiers to justice.
“We must remove the bandits and terrorists from our forests and bring them and their financiers to justice. The federal government must do more and do it now. The blood of our citizens cries out from the ground, and we cannot remain silent,” he said.
On the economy, the PFN president described the situation as deeply worrisome, and urged the federal and state governments to deploy Nigeria’s human and natural resources for the benefit of the generality of the people rather than a few elite.
He called for a review of existing laws and the enactment of new ones to make businesses thrive and promote vigorous industrialisation, which he said would boost productive capacity and improve living standards.
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Oke also described corruption as an anathema to democracy, saying it had stalled growth, drained public resources, deepened inequality, eroded public trust, limited the potential of youth and undermined justice.
He urged governments at the federal, state and local levels to intensify the fight against corruption so Nigerians could enjoy the dividends of democracy.
The PFN president further expressed concern over the production and transportation of illicit drugs through Nigeria. He warned that the menace posed a serious threat to the younger generation.
“Much has been done, but we must strive harder to remove this evil from our land. We must protect our children, for they are a gift from God, and their destruction is an affront to our future,” he said.
Oke appealed to Nigerians, irrespective of tribe, religion or social class, to unite in building a nation founded on peace, justice and love.
He urged citizens to rededicate themselves to God and the ideals of the nation’s founding fathers, stressing that the country’s progress depended on the collective efforts of Nigerians.
“Nigeria can be great again, but we must all play our parts. Nigeria belongs to all of us and its progress is dependent on all of us,” Oke said.
He called on Nigerians to think, speak and act in ways that would move the country forward and accelerate its development.
