Trinity House Church has urged churches in Nigeria to move beyond their traditional role of praying and embrace socio-political responsibility to support governance and societal development.

The charge was given at a youth prayer gathering (When Youth Pray) organised by the church in Lagos, themed “The Awakening.”

In a communique issued at the end of the programme and signed by Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, the church said that it would be very difficult to solve Nigeria’s challenges if there’s no unity among every tribe, noting that the challenges before the nation are greater than any single ministry, denomination, or organisation can resolve alone.

Ighodalo stated that while Nigeria remains a nation of immense promise, blessed with abundant human and natural resources, it is confronting some challenges that require urgent actions, such as rising unemployment, insecurity, economic hardship, substance abuse, depression among youths, corruption, and a growing sense of hopelessness.

According to him, the essence of seeking divine guidance on matters affecting the nation is to pursue a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit that will heal the land, restore hope to the next generation, and raise transformational and visionary leaders.

The cleric, while urging President Bola Tinubu to engage the youths on how to resolve some of the issues, said that the programme demonstrated the commitment of Nigerian youths as partners in the pursuit of a safer, stronger, and more prosperous Nigeria.

Also, Pastor of the Youth Church of Trinity House, Afolabi Oke, in his remarks, said that the initiative aimed to foster dialogue between youths and policymakers, including the President, senators, and other stakeholders, to develop practical strategies for tackling insecurity.

He stressed that young people, who are most affected by insecurity, must be part of the conversations around solutions.

Similarly, Founder and Team Leader of Covenant of Life Nigeria, Oluwatobiloba Oshunbiyi, emphasised that while prayer remains essential, it must be accompanied by the development of capable individuals who can drive change in leadership and governance.

“We have prayed as a nation, but we have not raised enough men that match our prayers,” he said.