By Vera Wisdom-Bassey
The Diocesan Bishop, Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Oba Akinjobi Road, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, Right Rev’d James Odedeji, has urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that there is no sacred cow in his efforts to stamp out insecurity in Nigeria.
He gave the charge in his address during this year’s first session of the Ninth Synod of the church, with the theme: ‘Fight the Good Fight of Faith’.
Odedeji stated that insecurity had become a recurring nightmare in the country, which every successive administration had not been able to tackle.
He asked Tinubu to display the political will to stamp his feet on the ground and wipe out insecurity in the country, saying: “There should be no sacred cows when it comes to dealing with these criminals and their sponsors.”
Odedeji also urged the Federal Government to revisit the reports of the 2014 National Conference towards neutralising agitations for break-up of Nigeria by different ethnic nationalities.
He noted that insecurity in the country has both religious and political undertone. He explained that Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province have religious undertone, while the other types of insecurity stemmed from attempts to make a livelihood by kidnappers and bandits.
Odedeji also commended Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his landmark achievements in the state. He noted that the state has remained the economic, commercial and financial hub of Nigeria as well as the biggest contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Also, he admonished Christians to know that they are not fighting a physical combat or one that requires a physical weapon but a spiritual one, and that what they believe in will come under attack and so they should be ready and prepared to fight, under the leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The yearly synod kicked off yesterday with an opening service which was attended by bishops of the church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion). Although the diocese has made a tremendous progress since when it was cre4ated 25 years ago, yet there are more development which are in sight in the near future, he stated.