The President of Warri Diocesan Priests Association, Reverend Father Anthony Mario Ozele, on Sunday, said the nation has witnessed unrivalled nepotism, which is manifested in other climes and could lead to the extinction of any such country.
He said this at the Mother of the Redeemer Catholic Church, Effurun, Uvie Local government of Delta State during the thanksgiving service of Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege.
He said hate has been allowed to take root in the way people relate, thereby compounding the problem of the nation.
According to the priest, Nigeria needs prayers and it would be wise for the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who was in attendance, to revive the ‘Pray Nigeria’ programme of the former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, to sustain praise and worship and intercession to God to fix Nigeria.
He said Nigeria is in dire need of prayers to correct the anomalies that had dotted it’s political and socio-economic landscape, without which realising its full potential would be elusive.
Reverend Ozele said hate has festered in the polity and religion to the extent that, there is no value for human life following the spate of insecurity in the nation.
He said: “Value for life in Nigeria has been crushed” adding that there is anger in the country ” the length and breadth of this country is filled with hunger,” he stated.
He said Nigeria is confronted with evil placing the nation at an evil time but insisted that prayers were the way out as the leaders undertake their tasks to govern the people aright.
The priest told the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, that his Senatorial District has no need for a polytechnic but a university of science and food technology and other economic dividends of democracy that would boost the state revenue sources and increase her internally generated revenue while creating jobs for the myriad of jobless youth in the Country.
ALSO READ:Â Borno residents pray, fast against Boko Haram Monday
His words: “Omo-Agege, We do not need Federal Polytechnic in Warri Central, we need a university of food science and technology. We need Warri port; we need Sapele Port; we need Aladja rolling mill.”
Reverend Ozele also used the opportunity to charge all politicians of the state especially those of Delta Central to build a consensus for the common good of Delta state.
He maintained that only through cooperation among the political elites of the state to support the Deputy President of the Senate, would they find massive progress for the district and the state at large.
Father Ozele called on the Vice President, Professor, Yemi Osinbajo, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to join their voices to strengthen the calls by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, to improve the lives of his people.
His words: “Thank God Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is here, you are a beloved neighbour of Delta state, assist our brother in bringing home dividends of democracy in Delta Central.
“I thank God for the presence of the Federal Minister of State for labour, Barrister Festus Keyamo is here and hearing me. Assist your brother in bringing home the dividend of democracy.
“Mr Vice President sir, you are an ardent believer. Delta State is one of the chicks that lays the golden egg and needs federal support. We need your voice to re-echo the voice of the senator to bring home to our people in Delta central and other parts of Delta State, the dividends democracy.
“I call on all Urhobos of all political extractions and all Igbos in the Niger Delta to support the Distinguished Senator in fasting and prayers.
He commended the Deputy President of the Senate on his appointment to head the Constitutional Review Panel and urged him to ensure that the document reflects the wishes of the people.
“While congratulating you on your recent appointment to head the Constitution review committee at the National Assembly, be sure to let the Lord guide you; together you can bequeath to Nigerian the document that can really be reflective of the aspirations of ‘we the people of Nigeria.'”
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, eulogised the Host of the thanksgiving, Deputy President of the Senate, over his victories in the elections as well as court cases.
He said his people will benefit more from him.
In his remark, the President of the Senate described the homily of Father Ozoli as a call to the Nigerian political leaders to prayers and work.
He promised that the Ninth Assembly will not falter in doing this so as to bring about the needed changes in the country for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
He maintained that for any meaningful advancement to take place in Nigeria, both the legislature and the executive must cooperate.
Lawan said: “We must continue to pray but for those of us in position of authority, we should do more than prayers; we must work, we pray, we work. So, for us in the Senate, we have since resolved to work harmoniously in a very cooperative manner with the executive arm of government, why do we have to do that?
“It is a necessity, it is a must. Those who design the National Assembly did not envisage that the National Assembly should be fighting with the executive for democracy to be established.
“It is assumed that there will be disagreement between the two arms of government, sometimes perspectives may differ; they may see it white, the National Assembly will be seeing it grey or but even then, it is assumed that the differences will be settled in the national interest.
“This is what we are determined to do and we will continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari all the way.
“Today, we need to fix the security situation of this country. Is it possible for the executive alone to fix it? It is not even possible for the present government alone to fix it.
“The Federal Government need to have a very determined position and of course the state governments and even the local governments are supposed to be part of the design.
“We must continue to pray but for those of us in position of authority, we should do more than prayers, we must work, we pray, we work. So for us in the Senate we have since resolved to work harmoniously in a very cooperative manner with the executive arm of government, why do we have to do that?
“It is a necessity; it is a must. Those who design the national assembly.did not envisage that national assembly should be fighting with the executive for democracy to be established.
“It is assumed that there will be disagreement between the two arms of government, sometimes perspectives May differ; they may see it white, the national assembly will be seeing it grey or but even then, it is assumed that the differences will be settled in the national interest.
“This is what we are determined to do and we will continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari all the way.
“Today we need to fix the security situation of this country. Is it possible for the executive alone to fix it? It is not even possible for the present government alone to fix it.
“The Federal Government need to have a very determined position and of course the state governments and even the local governments are supposed to be part of the design.
In his remark after the message by the priest, the Deputy President of the Senate said he will continue to advance matters that promote national unity and advance the legislative and executive relationship to tackle the multiple national problems.
According to him, “I will seek to push for those things that bring us together as a country than those things that years us apart.
“Listening to the sermon of Father Ozele, yes we have challenges in the country, nobody is denying that but our people need to understand that these are very serious challenges that only one man cannot solve all of these, it requires the collective response of all of us.
“For us in the Senate, that is the path we are taking to work, cooperate with Mr President, to create that working environment so that all of those things that we know that he needs to address the myriads of challenges that Father Ozele has mentioned here today, he is able to do them. That is all I owe the President, that is all I owe to my people and all that I owe Nigerians. “
and then