Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Our unity worthy of celebration, says PFN president

By AYOYINKA JEGEDE
04 October 2015   |   11:46 pm
NIGERIA at 55 years of independence, is celebrating and will continue to celebrate, especially her oneness, as a mark of appreciation that God has enabled us to go this far; certainly our unity is our strength. Nigeria has in the past fought a very devastating civil war and it overcame it

omobudeDr. Felix Omobude, National President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), is also the General Superintendent, Gospel Light International Ministries, Benin, Edo State. He spoke with AYOYINKA JEGEDE in Benin on Nigeria’s 55 years of independence on those things that have retarded the country’s growth and other related issues
Our unity worthy of celebration

NIGERIA at 55 years of independence, is celebrating and will continue to celebrate, especially her oneness, as a mark of appreciation that God has enabled us to go this far; certainly our unity is our strength. Nigeria has in the past fought a very devastating civil war and it overcame it .At 55 we can look back at where we are coming and where we are. There are challenges, but there are also things to celebrate. This is a great nation and I believe God loves us. We have weather most of the storms. Have we achieved everything that we set out   to achieve? Certainly No. However, there is room for progress, I believe that we can look back and thank God for what he has done and be grateful to Him.

Factors that militated against the country’s development
I believe our problem stemmed from ethno-religious differences, which have seriously led to divisions among Nigerians along several lines. If we will play down on this and look at the overall picture, we will certainly do well.

Those who fought for the independence of Nigeria had in mind a nation where every citizen would be free where ever he or she is. A Benin man can go to Maiduguri and feel at home, An Hausa man can come to Benin and feel at home that is the idea, we are not there yet, a nation is not born overnight, the process may be long but we are on our way there.

We must understand that Nigeria is greater than any individual or group of persons. We must strengthen what binds us together, celebrate our bond together and deemphasize things that divide us especially ethnicity   and religion, they are important. If we are going to unite, a Christian must be willing to dwell with a Muslim and vice versa. We must be able to look at ourselves first as children of God, made by God then Nigerians before any other thing. We should celebrate what binds us together.

I am of the opinion that Nigeria is going through a metamorphosis; we will get there hopefully. We should deal sincerely with one another, let equity and fair play be the watchword. We can overcome whatever our problems are and we can dwell together. There is strength in unity.

What to do to strengthen unity in diversity
We must understand that Nigeria is greater than any individual or group of persons. We must strengthen what binds us together, celebrate our bond together and deemphasize things that divide us especially ethnicity   and religion, they are important. If we are going to unite, a Christian must be willing to dwell with a Muslim and vice versa. We must be able to look at ourselves first as children of God, made by God then Nigerians before any other thing. We should celebrate what binds us together.

Corruption is halting our march to development.
Corruption has to a large extent crippled the nation. Corruption is not only in government, it is on the street, in airports and seaports corruption is everywhere. When you begin to cut corners and try to influence justice, you are on the course of corruption.
I believe the federal government’s determination to fight corruption is in the right direction and anyone who loves Nigeria should join in the crusade. We should all make up our minds as Nigerians to fight corruption. We should all join hands together to fight the menace. I as a pastor I have made up my mind that I will not change the truth the Holy Bible commends us to uphold just because somebody gives me an offering.

Solutions, apart from jailing corrupt individuals
We need heart transformation and mind renewal. We must work at developing the attitude of our people. Honesty should be rewarded and money earned through evil means should not be celebrated. For example, if this is a nation where every child has right to education and they get it, people will not have to loot public treasury to keep money for the education of their children and even the yet to be born ones.

If the people are sure that when they retire they will still have roof over their head and that their retirement would be taken care of, at old age, people’s tendencies to stack away public money will go down.
At 55, we should aim at a nation where no one goes to bed with an empty stomach. Majority of our young people have gone to school and are roaming the streets, which is a challenge.  If we are able to address these challenges, the issue of corruption will be drastically reduced.

If the people are sure that when they retire they will still have roof over their head and that their retirement would be taken care of, at old age, people’s tendencies to stack away public money will go down. At 55, we should aim at a nation where no one goes to bed with an empty stomach. Majority of our young people have gone to school and are roaming the streets, which is a challenge.  If we are able to address these challenges, the issue of corruption will be drastically reduced

Institutions crucial to our growth that must be strengthened
At 55, every Nigerian child should have access to quality education. The reason why many of the youths are sold to crime and criminality is that their background is very weak. Many of them didn’t go to school. At 55, institutions like health should be on a sound footing. Some social system should be in place so that when you suddenly become unemployed or something happens and the family faces challenge, you don’t go to the dustbin to eat. Those are institutions that we must build.

Of course the institution of law and order must be strengthened because democracy cannot thrive where there is anarchy and impunity. We need to look at giving true independent to the judiciary, ensuring that nobody     is above the law. We must take our religious life to public places by practising what preach and the gospel that we hear in the churches and in other religious places. This nation is not lacking in religion, it’s just to carry the effects of your religious beliefs, let it show in your relationship with your neighbours and wherever you go. For us Christians, the Bible says we are the light and no man lights a candle and put it under the table, you put it on top to shine.

Why Christians must join in nation building
In the PFN, we draw our teachings from the infallible words of God. We owe our nation and generation the responsibility of directing their ass right. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. The reason why people can carry money from public places and hide it somewhere is because they have not the fear of God. PFN stands with government in any government policy that is aimed at peaceful co-existence and co-habitation. The PFN stands with government in building a nation that is free without oppression, a nation with values and truth. We will continue to amplify our thoughts, give advice the best way we can and of course talk to our congregants.

Our values still stand. I pastor a church, my responsibility is to preach the truth and live by example. If a politician is a member of my church and he/she hears my preaching, If he comes and bring money in a suspicious way I will call him/her and find out. I speak truth to people in authority with courage and I know one or two among the Pentecostal folks who have the courage to speak truth to people in authority. Our loyalty first goes to God. We must do what is right and do it right. It is my desire and aspiration that PFN under my watch should do the best we can and live transparently before people.

Federal Government should use all options to end terrorism
I appreciate the determination of the Federal Government to end the insurgency in the Northeast and all forms of terrorism in the country. The Federal Government should explore both military and non-military options in ending all these violent acts.

I am of the opinion that beyond that government should work on building bridges between adherents of all religious practice and between ethnic groups. I want Nigerians to be their brother keeper, what has happened in the North East in the past couple of years is devastating. Boko Haram is an enemy of the nation; we should help in rebuilding the affected are

Advice to Nigerians
We should teach our children our history because if you don’t know your past you can’t appreciate your present and you cannot project into you future. We should not toy with our past, we should tell our children where we are coming from, who we are and what we are projecting to become. I have had the privilege of traveling out of this country to several other countries but you know there is one thing about home for me this is one nation in the world where I am not a stranger and I am grateful to God for it.

0 Comments