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From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Kabba, Kogi State, Rt Rev Dr Steven Kayode Akobe, has called on the federal government to urgently devise a new security architecture that will finally put an end to the incessant senseless killings of innocent people in the country by terrorists suspected to be foreign mercenaries.
He said the situation is worsening every day as terrorists invade communities killed and maimed innocent citizens with little or no response from security agencies or the government while the people continue to live in fear in their fatherland.
In his words” Nigeria is fast becoming a land flowing with tears and blood because the reality of terror, devastations, destructions and fear are evident everywhere. It is like an earthquake which is followed by a tsunami leaving great destruction of lives and property and we have no place to hide
“We live in very uncertain times; Nigerians have lost their homes, livelihood, lives and property because these attacks have become senseless and endless, there seems to be no end in sight, either at home, on the road, at worship centres or at work, on the farm, nowhere is safe.
“The government appears to be weak and overwhelmed and the security agencies appear not to be able to bring the situation under control. Nowhere is safe in Nigeria every aspect of our national life is under attack, we are in a war situation, the government has to seek external if necessary, so as to save our lives.
“It must be noted that the incessant insurgency, banditry, kidnapping attacks devastating our communities are mostly carried out by foreigners from other parts of Africa with collaboration from some elements and groups within the country. And government must urgently do something about this before it escalates further” the Bishop noted.
“Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic nationalities that have existed peacefully together for many centuries, however, some unpatriotic Nigerian politicians have brought in foreigners from other countries in Africa in order to enhance their political advantage. Our young people have always been turned to political thugs and the result is what we are now witnessing today
“We, therefore, call on the federal government to speedily find a way of securing our country and deliver us from the hands of an insurgency. There is an urgent need therefore to guard our national borders against marauders and raiders and for government to act decisively and stop the blame game” he added
Bishop Steven Kayode Akobe gave this charge recently during the Ninth Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Kabba which took place at the Cathedral Church of St Andrew, Kabba with the theme” the place and power of the Altar( personal, family, church and national) as a means of Christian Discipleship. 1Kings: 18: 20-41.
On the nation’s dwindling economy, Bishop Akobe said the devastation on the economy was having a serious toll on the day to day living of Nigerians saying the current foreign debt profile of #41. 6 trillion was on the high side and unacceptable.
“The economy is clearly in a bad shape, the poverty level is an all-time high, and many can hardly feed, pay school fees, house rent or access good health care. Living in Nigeria today is very tough and difficult as hyperinflation of goods and services has worsened the poverty level among the citizens.
“The current trend of borrowing from other countries and international bodies to fund and service our national budget is becoming worrisome, the country’s rising public debt profile remains of great concern as about 95% of our revenue goes to debt servicing. This is unsustainable and unthinkable as it greatly limits expenditure for other critical sectors of the economy.
“The present administration has no doubt failed in fulfilling its promises of fighting corruption and insecurity. Nigeria was ranked 154th out of the 180 countries on Transparency international corruption perception index in 2021 making it one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Nigeria has now dropped five places on the index table.
“This great monster of corruption must be killed or greatly reduced, otherwise it will finish this country and push the future generations who are already at disadvantaged into penury. Corruption makes our debt profile a journey to hell and we strongly caution against further borrowings, government should harken to Monetary Policy Committee’s advice to seek alternative more viable and efficient infrastructure financing sources.”
On the forthcoming general election, the man of God called on all Nigerians of voting age to go and collect their PVC and vote on election day according to their conscience even as he called on voters to stop worshipping the politicians because of peanuts they will collect from them saying they should not sell their future.
While urging Christians to play active roles in electing their leaders in the coming polls, he said it was not enough to pray and fast alone for the country, but believers must come out and also seek elective positions so as to rid Nigeria of corruption.
“We must see politics as a God-given process aimed at ordering His world and society alright, politic must not be seen as a dirty game and left in the hands of unbelievers. Prayers and fasting will not work until we get involved and participate actively,” he counselled.
Bishop Akobe while exhorting Christians on the need to build personal and family prayer altars to intercede for the country and for their personal needs said an altar for God will enhance the personal relationship of Christians and their Maker as it will enable communicate with him and hear directly from him.
Rt Rev Akobe who gave comprehensive accounts of those who built prayer alters for the Lord in the Bible and their lives were positively transformed, said every genuine child of God must have personal prayer altars and every genuine Christian family must have a corporate prayers altars as a lifestyle.
Quoting from Deuteronomy 11: 18–21, he said in the divine order of creation, families are the production factories for the society saying whatever is produced in the homes is what the societies will become and therefore enjoins Christians to create a culture that supports and establishes spirituality and God-consciousness in everything they do as a family.
He enumerated the benefits of prayer altars to include giving Christians free access to the throne of grace, constant refreshing from the Lord, drawing constant strength and spiritual energy, connecting deeper to the Lord and hearing or getting direct revelations from God, among other benefits and urged every Christian in Nigeria to build personal prayers altars.
