Nigeria at 58: Clerics pray for Nigeria, citizens
By As Nigeria celebrates its 58th Independence Anniversary tomorrow, clerics across the country prayed for the country’s unity, peace, victims of insurgency, the oppressed, families, among others. OLAIDE SOKOYA reports:
Most Rev Dr Micheal Olusola Fape, Bishop of Remo and archbishop of Lagos ecclesiastical province.
At 58, Nigeria will rise again. The oppressors of Nigeria will be disarmed and a time of refreshing will come upon this nation. God will raise good leaders who will harness the abundant resources of this nation for the good of all.
Nigeria is going through a difficult time because our political leaders are not sincere. The fight against corruption is selective. There is need for equity and fairness in appointments to reflect federal character.
Bishop Olukunle Amoo, Laughter Foundation Ministries
God of all flesh; God of all nations, we thank you for our father land Nigeria…guide our leaders, keep and protect our citizens and make Nigeria a better place to live in Jesus name.
Almighty Father, we thank you first, over our great nation Nigeria. We pray for forgiveness of our sins in this nation. Look unto our nation with your mercy through the precious blood of your son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We plead for forgiveness of ancestral sins, idolatry, murder, stealing, greed, selfishness and other sins that might be working against our progress as a nation, We ask for forgiveness in all realms. Imbibe in us the spirit of the fear of God in all our undertakings as leaders and citizens of this nation and let Nigeria be God’s own nation with peace, progress and prosperity in Jesus mighty name (Amen).
Most Reverend (Dr) J.O. Akinfenwa, Ibadan Anglican Diocese
As Nigeria celebrates its independence, we beseech God to heal our land and the people. Today, our people are suffering and dying of myriads of preventable, avoidable and treatable diseases. May it please God in His mercy to release His healing power across the nation and to restore those under the burden of epidemic; those whose health have been compromised by abuse of the environment; those poisoned by chemicals and other toxic substances, victims of industrial, domestic, road and other accidents; and many others who are currently on their sick beds across our land. Lord, we particularly plead with you to stay the hand of the scourge of cancer ravaging our land, especially our women. We also pray your blessings upon efforts to eradicate polio in our land; please strengthen those working hard to ensure that this wasting disease is finally banished from our nation.
Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo, Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese
The good news of Nigeria’s Independence is yet to acquire concrete meaning for many Nigerians who are not yet independent of poverty, unemployment ignorance and disease. Nigeria remains our dear country, but one with many contradictions and challenges. On October 1, we shall again hear the usual political speeches and promises. Religious leaders and philanthropists shall continue to offer charity, hope and strength in God, but we know that millions of Nigerians still suffer and die because of terrorism, armed robbery, kidnapping, ritual killings, natural disasters, human trafficking, and road accidents and suicide. Religious bigotry and ethnic killings are often allowed to fester and insecurity persists. We are constantly being pawned off by our politicians for a “pot of porridge” in self-serving deals and negotiations which cater little for the Common Good. Realistically, for the youth, the present is hard and the future, uninspiring.
Nigerians, however, remain a proud, believing and hopeful people. I wish our leaders would live and lead by the golden rule “do unto others as you would wish done to you”. I wished they would uphold the rule of law and treat the people with more respect and empathy.
I wish we all realize that no good deed ever goes unrewarded and no evil ever unpunished even over generations! Let us invest more in Nigeria through right living and shun rumours and fake news. Let us exercise our right and power to choose the right leaders and cooperate with the democratic system which takes time to mature. Let us pray hard but also work hard for a better Nigeria for we have no other country.
Reverend (Mrs) Bose Ogundimu, Senior Area Pastor, Ikeja Model Area, Decross Gospel Mission
Nigeria at 58! It has been God all the way and in achieving more, it can only be God. The main thing Nigerians need to do is to seek the face of God for peace to reign; His mercy to prevail, His righteousness be firmly established and His name be glorified. I wish the entire citizens of the country happy Independence Day!
Pastor Claudius Olaiya, Christ Apostolic Church, Gbaremu Centre
I pray for all Nigerians, especially the needy at this pressing time that the Lord will be your shepherd. I want to charge everyone to put their trust in God alone as I hereby declare that He will protect and defend us from all hidden dangers and deadly diseases, because He has covered us with his wings. Nigeria shall be safe and peace will eventually reign not matter how tensed the problems and the challenges the country is facing at the moment.
Prophet Bayode Olubo of the House Favour Church
Nigerians should continue to pray very hard for divine intervention, because the country is faced with serious manipulation and commotion in the country. Honestly, there is nothing to celebrate about, except for the gift of life and is God’s doing. The land is overwhelmed with so much acrimony, conspiracy and wickedness. The hardship in the country must not continue this way, because it will lead to an increase in crime rate and other related offenses such as ritual killings. The truth is that we must not relent in our fervent prayers. Also, there is the need for genuine restructuring.
Apostle David Tunji Tokede, Churchill City Chapel International
It is my sincere prayer that as we celebrate independence, God will start a new thing in this country, His power will overshadow us and give us peace. Every place, where there are wars acand killings, God will put an end to them and give His people a lasting peace.
I pray for the outstretched arm of God to come to the aid of his children. The election is fast approaching, I want everyone in government to know whether they are accountable or answerable to man or not, they are all accountable to the almighty God. They will give account of how they have used their positions either to help or oppress those they are leading. I want them to acknowledge God in all they do and to treat citizen s with fairness and equality. They are to provide social amenities for the citizens and provide opportunities that will make life easy for people.
Rt Rev Dr Peter Ogunmuyiwa, Coordinating Chaplain, National Christian Centre, CAN HQ, Abuja and Diocesan Bishop of The African Church North & Abuja diocese
As Nigeria celebrates her 58th Independence anniversary, I join other well-meaning Nigerians and the lovers of the country to wish our dear country a prosperous future.
I want to use this occasion to call on our political leadership to renew their commitments to nation building. A situation, where a chunk of Nigeria’s wealth is used to service our political office holders at the expense of our labour force, is unfair. How do we explain or justify the bogus salaries and allowances of all our leaders, compared to the 18,000 minimum wage to our civil servants. I hereby, suggest the cutting down of politicians pay to accommodate the newly proposed minimum wage to ensure fairness and commitments of our workers to duty.
I call on our President to be sensitive to the plights of Nigerians by playing a fatherly role to all Nigerians irrespective of tribes and religion. The body language of this current administration leaves many in doubt about their commitment to the Nigeria an Project ,where we all stand in brotherhood.
I call on all Nigerians to embrace one another in love. God bless the federal republic of Nigeria.
Retired Bishop Matthew Owadayo
Our God and creator of all mankind, we thank you for giving us the grace to witness another Independence Day in Nigeria. However, we are still enslaved and oppressed by our sinful, evil deeds, cruel acts, tyrannous power, hypocrisy, lawless terrorist attacks.
Act more quickly Father to bring relief and freedom to all in agony and travail, through Jesus Christ our Lord. God of comfort, mercy and compassion, kindly bring release to all in detention for no just cause. Let your Holy Spirit wash us of our sins of corruption that we may hate it in all its ramifications and tend to be more spiritual than material, more God-fearing and nation-loving and so embrace righteousness that can exalt our country in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen!
Prophet Peter Owa, Christ Revival Miracle Centre
We thank God for saving and redeeming this country, as well s sustaining the glory over this nation despite its shortcomings. We thank God for what He has done in the last 58 years and His plans for Nigeria. It is obvious that expectations of the citizenry are high, but you said in your word that we should continue to give thanks, because we know that tomorrow will be good for Nigeria. As we celebrate Nigeria’s 58th anniversary, we pray that the glory of Nigeria will rise again. Our hope is in God that Nigeria will rise again and that its glory will shine.
Nigeria will not mourn again and we shall always have cause to glorify God in Jesus’ name.
Bishop Seun Adeoye, director of Publicity, World Bishops Council (WBC)
Almighty God, we know that you own Nigeria and everything in it. Nothing is too difficult for the Lord to do. Therefore, I ask that as we celebrate another year of independence, the Lord shall bless our country with good leaders. The spirit of unity shall reign in the country and among Nigerians, as well as grant us quick economic recovery in Jesus name. Also, as we look forward to the 2019 general election, may the Almighty God grant us peaceful election devoid of crisis. Above all, the Lord shall set free those in captivity of terrorists and in particular, Leah Sharibu. Nigeria shall be great.
Pastor Ebenezer Agboola, C.A.C., Hand of God Ministry
Genesis 1:28 says: “And God blessed them and God said unto them, be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it.” Also, the book of Joshua 1:3 says: “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that have I give unto you. That is the promise of God to all faithful businessmen in this country.”
We thank God for the likes of our leaders, both past and present. Above all, we hand over Nigeria to you Lord, please look down with mercy upon us and our country. We hand the direction of this country to you Lord, please take control. This is a country you have established yourself. Please, don’t let the devil destroy it. Revive our ailing economy and strengthen our leaders. Give us the grace of breakthrough, so that we will continue to praise you.
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