Christian  leaders task  govt on killings, kidnapping

Christian leaders have urged the  federal and state governments to protect Nigerians from new bloodletting, kidnapping and ethnic related violence as the administration prepares for another term in office.

They also called in political leaders to heed to calls for restructuring  and local government autonomy in the larger national interest.

Rising from the 43rd annual  Synod of the Methodist Church, Ifaki Diocese in Ekiti State, they called on Security agencies  to intensity efforts in releasing the remaining Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu, a  16-year old  Christian girl who has refused to renounce her faith. She is being held by the Boko Haram.

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In the communique of the assembly of churches in the diocese signed by  Bishop Sunday  Aluko, the lay president, Sir Alfred Ogunjana and Secretary Rev Titi Olu, the Christians leaders  stated that unless the spate of insecurity and violence were checked, food insecurity and loss of able bodied young men and women would not abate.

They expressed gratitude to God for the successful conclusion of 2019 elections,.and urged winners at all levels to be magnanimous in victory and priories the welfare of the citizens, calling on INEC to review its performance towards better performance in the future.

While congratulating President Muhamadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as well as other candidates at all levels who emerged victorious, they enjoined political leaders to pursue the unity of the nation by eschewing divisive tendencies of religious bigotry, nepotism, ethnicity which were capable of heightening tension and distrust among Nigerians.

It called for careful  consideration of the agitation for local government autonomy and restructuring of the country.

 On the economy, the leaders appealed to Government to initiate concrete economic reforms that will lead to visible deliverables with direct and meaningful impacts on the lives of the citizenry through employment generation and improved welfare. Other indices of socio-economic infrastructures must be pursued with vigour, focus and resilience. 

Speaking on the theme of the synod ““OBEDIENCE TO GOD, IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE; 1Samuel 15- 22b”, the synod harped on the restoration of Christian values encouraging religious groups  to emphasize more on obedience to God’s words of “seek ye first the kingdom of God” in order to have all other things added. Obedience would, no doubt, change the mindset of worshipers to embrace Christian virtues.

The highlight of the synod was the unanimous reaffirmation of the request to the National Conference for the creation of the Archdiocese of Ifaki to comprise the Dioceses of Kwara, Okun, Ayedun and Ifaki, and also the creation of Diocese of Ado Ekiti, bearing in mind the strategic importance of a Methodist Church Nigeria Diocesan headquarters in the Ekiti State Capital to the spread of Methodism in Ado Ekiti and its environs.

The synod also approved the establishment of  Charles Wesley School of Church Music, to train youths in church musical instruments as tools of evangelism considering the dwindling number of trained organists and instrumentalists in the Christian community.