A cross section of worshippers
By Akanji Alowoludo, Bauchi
The Chaplain, Chapel of Victory, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Pastor Adegbenga Adeyemi, has said that despite the hardship situation Nigerians are currently going through, prayers of the Church have being prevailing, things would have been worse.
He said this in while speaking at an annual interdenominational service to mark Nigeria’s 63rd Independence organized by the Chapel of Victory, ATBU, Bauchi.
According to him, “Nigeria is currently going through a lot at the moment. There is hunger and poverty everywhere, the economy is so bad. But despite the hardship and the situation we are in as a nation currently, if not for the prayers of the Church, things would have been worse,” he said.
The Clergyman however cautioned Nigerians from speaking negatively about the situations saying, “We’re quick to say bad things about the country. I urge you that as Christians, when we pray, we should speak and confess positively about the country so that our words do not negate our prayers. Let’s learn to speak positively about Nigeria and because our words are powerful, we will see things change for the better.”
In his message, the Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bauchi State Chapter, Pastor Promise Yohanna, stated that when people are devoted to God, the nation becomes strong but when the nation abandons God, the people become weaker and weaker.
Yohanna, the Senior Pastor of The Rivers of Life Church, who preached from Proverbs 14.34, on the them: “Righteousness Exalts a Nation,” said that the failure of Nigeria begins with Nigerians.
According to him, “What will change Nigeria has to begin with you as an individual. If you want to do right as a student, if you want to do right as a lecturer, if you want to do right as a businessman, as a military man, as a security man, I tell you something, our country will be far better. We must learn to do the right things always.”
He however lamented the state of Nigeria saying that evil is on the increase with the leaders doing little or nothing to address the situation.
He also said that: “What is the state of our nation? Evil is on the increase. We’ve seen kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, insecurity, we’ve seen issues in academic circles, we’ve seen things happening in our nation.
This was not the way our nation was. We’ve seen that our naira has become worthless. A N1,000 is not up to a Dollar in the black market.
“I remember that in those days, when we travel, we used to pray to God to protect us against accidents but today, our prayer has changed, what we now pray for is against is for God to deliver us from kidnappers, not even armed robbers. When you meet armed robbers, it is easy because you will only part with what you have, but if it’s kidnappers, you know that it is not easy,” he added.
Yohanna added that, “The state of our nation, what do we see with our security agents, what do new see in our academic circles? What do we see with our judiciary? What do we see everywhere? Wickedness in high places, killings everywhere, corruption in high places”.
He stressed that, “We have not forgotten some years ago when someone claimed that snakes and another monkey swallowed millions of Naira, these all happened in Nigeria. One person stole close to $200 billion.”
The Clergyman added that, “What is the state of our nation, what do we see? Suffering, poverty, everywhere, greed. But I bring you this message, there is hope for Nigeria. Jesus is the hope for Nigeria. There is hope for those who have no food to eat, for students who are suffering.”
He said that even though the country looks so dark because of the corruption and evils, there are many Nigerians who are righteous, sincere and honest in their dealings just as he listed some Nigerians who have returned various amounts of money both in Naira and Dollars, they found in the course of performing their duties.
“Never thing that Nigeria is finished, there are many who are doing the right things. Not everybody is a thief, not everybody takes bribes, not everybody perverts justice, not everybody sleeps with female students to give them, marks. There are saints everywhere,” he said.
Highlights of the event were prayers for Nigeria and cutting of Nigeria’s anniversary cake.
There were also goodwill messages from the Vice Chancellor of ATBU, Prof. Abdullazeez Muhammad who was represented by Prof. Felix Burari, Commander, 33 Artillery Brigade, Bauchi, Brigadier General Emmanuel Egbe represented by Lieutenant Colonel T.O. Olukokun; CAN Chairman, Bauchi State, Rev. Abraham Damina represented by CAN Secretary, Rev. Wakili Laslimbo, among others.
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