Call herdsmen to order, Bishop Oluwarohunbi tells FG

Bishop of Yewa Diocese, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, The Right Reverend Michael Oluwarohunbi, has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to address the issue of herdsmen clashes and call perpetrators of violence to order.

He stated this in his charge delivered at the first session of the tenth synod of Yewa Anglican Diocese, held at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Ona-Nla, Ilaro, Ogun State, on Friday, with the theme, Be The Light.

According to him, “We wish to commend the efforts of Mr President and the Federal Government as a whole, for their prompt response to the issue of insecurity in the country. However, we want the president to demonstrate practical will by bringing the herdsmen, who are becoming a menace, to justice. Nigeria belongs to all of us, and such herdsmen must be called to order; they cannot continue to kill innocent people, burn houses, rape women and girls and trespass into other people’s farmlands or business domains with impunity. This is a time bomb that President Buhari needs to detonate himself.”

He commended the Ogun State government for the efforts at developing the state and called for more to be done.

Bishop Oluwarohunbi reiterated the need for economic diversification and called for a review of the allowances of public office holders. He stated that “Nigerians, especially our past leaders, since the inception of our democracy, need to come together in penitence and seek for God’s forgiveness.”

Archbishop of Kaduna province and Bishop of Kebbi, Most Reverend Edmund Akanya preached at the opening and closing services at the synod.

Also present at the synod were: Bishop Akin Atere of Awori Anglican Diocese; Bishop Nathaniel Ogundipe of Ifo Anglican Diocese; Bishop Isaac Oluyamo of Ijesha North Anglican Diocese with his wife, Margaret; Bishop Samuel Ogundeji of Egba West Anglican Diocese; Bishop Abel Ajibodu of Ile-Oluji Anglican Diocese; Bishop Olusola Odedeji of Lagos West Anglican Diocese; Chief of Staff, Chief Tolu Odebiyi, who represented Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State; Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle; Aboro of Iboro, Oba Abayomi Salako; Akoko of Tongeji Island, Oba Okiki Aposu; Mrs Grace Oluwarohunbi, among others.

Oba Olugbenle, in his goodwill message, called on Christians to demonstrate the message of Christ by being the light to the world, not only in words, but in action. Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, in his goodwill message, congratulated the diocese on the occasion of the synod and called for more prayers for the prosperity and success of the state administration.

In his goodwill message, the Group Managing Director, Regency Alliance Insurance PLC, and Initiator of Building Opportunities for Tomorrow (BOT), Mr Biyi Otegbeye, commended the efforts of the diocese in the spread of the gospel and engendering national development, and called for prayers for peace, progress and the growth of Yewa diocese.