…urges Tinubu, governors to prioritise citizens’ welfare

As Nigeria marks its 66th Independence Anniversary, the Planter of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Adamimogo Grace of Mercy Prayer Mountain Worldwide, Prophet Sam Olu-Alo, has urged Nigerians to pray for the country’s leaders rather than condemning them.

Olu-Alo, who felicitated with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, other South-West governors, traditional rulers and Nigerians, said sustained prayers could help the country overcome its challenges and encourage leaders to govern in accordance with the will of God.

In a statement issued by his Personal Assistant, Deji Ogunbusuyi, the cleric urged Tinubu to remain responsive to the concerns of Nigerians and continue to pursue measures that would improve the living conditions of citizens.

He also appealed to Oyebanji to sustain cooperation with his predecessors and extend a hand of fellowship to opposition figures willing to contribute to the development of Ekiti State.

Olu-Alo said the 66th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence was an opportunity to appreciate God for the country’s journey and to pray for its future.

He said: “We appreciate God for seeing us this far in our great country and my dear state. While Nigeria is 66 years old on October 1, 2026, my dear state, Ekiti State, is also 30 years old.

“I therefore congratulate our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, my governor, Biodun Oyebanji, and all Nigerians on this occasion. May God bless Nigeria and Ekiti State.

“We pray for the founding fathers of our country and the founding fathers of Ekiti State. It shall be well with them. God will continue to direct the path of our leaders, in Jesus’ name.”

The cleric said the welfare and stability of Nigeria had remained a major concern in his prayers and activities as a servant of God.

He said his visits to Israel and other biblical sites had provided opportunities to pray for Nigeria, adding that he had often used the Nigerian flag during such prayers.

Olu-Alo urged political leaders to put the interests of citizens at the centre of their decisions, particularly amid the economic difficulties confronting many Nigerians.

He specifically called for greater investment in agriculture and security as part of measures to address hardship and improve livelihoods.

The cleric’s latest pilgrimage to the Holy Land also featured a visit to a site identified with biblical Gilgal in Israel.

According to an Israeli tour guide accompanying the pilgrimage team, Olu-Alo became the first Nigerian cleric to visit the particular site.

The guide also claimed that Olu-Alo was, in 2023, the first and only Nigerian cleric permitted to hold an open-air crusade in Israel.

The Gilgal site is associated with the biblical account of the Israelites’ entry into the Promised Land after crossing the Jordan River. According to the Book of Joshua, Joshua set up 12 stones at Gilgal as a memorial to the crossing, representing the 12 tribes of Israel.

The precise location of the biblical Gilgal remains debated among scholars and archaeologists. The site visited by Olu-Alo is among locations in the Jordan Valley identified during archaeological surveys as possible candidates for biblical Gilgal.

Israeli archaeologist Professor Adam Zertal and his team investigated several sites in the area in connection with the biblical Gilgal. The archaeological identification of the sites, however, remains a matter of scholarly debate.
The pilgrimage also included visits to Mount Nebo, the remains of Jericho, Golgotha, and the Sea of Galilee, among other sites associated with biblical history.

Olu-Alo, who is also the founder of Adamimogo FM Nigeria, urged residents and travellers in Ekiti State and other parts of the South-West to exercise caution as heavy rainfall continued to cause flooding in some communities.

He said the rainfall had already affected properties, businesses and livelihoods in some locations, stressing the need for residents to remain alert and take necessary precautions.