Bishop of Lagos Mainland, Revd. Akinpelu Johnson made this observation while giving the Synod Charge at the third session of the fifth synod of the diocese held at All Saint Anglican Church in Lagos.
Johnson, who noted that Nigeria continues to deteriorate at an alarming rate and the call for the dismantling of the country continues to grow louder, said many stakeholders including the Church had hoped that the call for restructuring would have been seriously considered. He said ‘the powers that be’ are not paying attention and the utterances of spokespersons of the regions and the continued lopsided bias in federal appointments are proof that the agitations of the marginalized regions are either not being understood or disregarded.
Speaking on security challenges bedeviling the nation, Johnson said the hydra-head problems of insecurity such as kidnappings, killings, wanton destruction of life and property, deliberate attacks on schools are taking their tolls on Nigerians, as there is now palpable fear all over the country. He said instead of the army trying to crush perceived more dangerous enemies in the Southeast, it would be better if they face insurgents in the North as a matter of urgency first and then perhaps, other regional agitations for dissolution of the country would drastically reduce. On the economy, he said it is deteriorating at an alarming rate with no hope for improvement in sight.
He said unemployment is high without any social safety net, which has resulted in rising crime rates and an increasingly unstable environment for economic activity.
