Church leaders including the primate of The Church of the Lord (TCL) Worldwide and President of the World Council of Churches (WCC) for Africa, Most Reverend (Dr) Rufus Ositelu, Archbishop of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop of Osun North, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Abiodun Olaoye, and other clerics have highlighted that corruption, lack of good structure, bad leadership are the major hindrance to Nigeria’s development.
In his message to the nation on the celebration of the 63rd Independence Day anniversary of Nigeria, Ositelu urged all and sundry to thank God despite the current socio-economic challenges facing the country.
Ositelu noted that though Nigeria is not where it ought to be, however, the nation had made some progress in the last 24 years of uninterrupted democratic rule.
“Some clogs militating against Nigeria’s giant strides include corruption, insecurity, lack of good governance, nepotism, banditry, kidnapping, tribalism, religious intolerance, etc. The time has come for the government at all levels and the citizens to eschew these vices and imbibe a lifestyle of the fear of God for Nigeria to move forward.
“Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people. (Proverbs 14:34). On this historic day therefore, going forward, I urge the government to give due priority to restructuring Nigeria, providing adequate security, building refineries, increasing power supply tremendously, providing of good road network, railway, waterways, massive youth employment, women empowerment, adequate minimum wage, improved education and better health care service delivery.
“Above all, we need Fiscal Federalism for quick and sustainable development. Nigeria is a blessed country endowed with huge human and natural resources. All hands must therefore be on deck to harness these resources for the good of all so that Nigeria can occupy her rightful position in the comity of nations. Happy Independence Day anniversary! God bless you all. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he added.
In the same vein, Bishop Olaoye noted that Nigeria had passed through many challenges that are known to all from independence in 1960 to the present time and that it takes the grace of God for Nigeria to stand today.
“Our past leaders did the little they could in the areas of infrastructure, health, education, etc. The Parliamentary System of government paid us far better as it allowed every region to develop at its own pace. The incursion of the military into the government of Nigeria didn’t help us. Corruption was taken to a higher level and it has not abated since then.
“Rather it has grown to an impunity level. Nigeria is now reputed to be fantastically corrupt, while our political leaders before the military incursion think about the people and the progress and development of the nation. The present-day political leaders only think about their pockets, families, and cronies. Our main problem in Nigeria now is corruption and bad leadership,” he added.
Bishop Olaoye lamented that corruption has gone to an unimaginable level where primary and secondary school students now think of nothing, but how to get rich quickly and live a flamboyant life, without working or labouring for it.
“They get involved with cyber crimes, kidnapping, and other ungodly ways to get rich quickly. Parents and society are not helping the youths as no one asks any questions about how anyone comes across his sudden wealth. The Church and Mosque are not helping at all as messages that can convict sinners are not usually preached.
“We have all gone astray. Our nation is corrupt and sin-laden. We need bold, courageous, selfless, patriotic, Godly leaders who can take this nation out of the abyss and launch her into the path of moral, political, economic, and technological progress and development.
“Our country is blessed with both human and material resources, but mismanagement of resources, tribalism, and unfaithfulness hinder our progress and development,” he said.
Also, Prophet Bayode Olubo of the House of Favour Church, Egbeda, Lagos State, stated that it is obvious that things are not working as expected and that the nation is still facing some problems that are yet to be resolved, which has caused a great setback for the country.
He pointed out that Nigeria will only align until all the problems facing it are resolved. The cleric lamented that the three major things Nigeria lacks include good structure, a good system, and a proper style of leadership.
“There is no conviction that things are working, despite the present government seeming to be working underground to make things right. Though President Tinubu may have good plans, the team players are self-centered and they do not have the interest of the citizens at heart. This is why the system is extremely porous now. This has contributed greatly to the hardship of the country,” Olubo lamented.
“A lot of those that are representing Nigeria at the upper and lower chambers are using the place as their retirement plan. They don’t have a good plan for the nation. The welfare of workers is not improving. Nothing is working in this nation, even electricity is nothing to write home about. I pray they will not push Nigerians to the wall, which might spark a revolution because the economy is not friendly,” he added.
The cleric noted that Nigerians are not asking for too much, but to improve on the welfare of the workers and make life bearable for Nigerians, adding that, “Nigerians should not be killed before their time. President Tinubu should address the issue of the economy now before it gets out of hand. What the nation is experiencing at the moment is abnormal; Nigerians are weeping because things are becoming tough by the day.”
President and founder of Christ for the Defence of Human and Community Rights and Initiative, at Alagbado, Lagos, Prophet Oladele Omoniyi, stressed that the celebration calls for a prayer for the president, his cabinet, and the nation as a whole following its overwhelming challenges that have brought the nation backward.
The cleric also appealed to all religious bodies to join forces to pray for Nigeria for the betterment of the citizens and a total deliverance from the hands of those who are tormenting it.
“I believe that all will end in praise on the issue of corruption. President Tinubu should wage war against corrupt practices to enhance the glory of Nigeria to come back to life. I am convinced that Nigeria’s glory will return if we don’t relent in our prayers. God will hear the voice of our prayer for a great transformation.
“I enjoined everyone irrespective of tribe or religion to join hands together in prayers for the progress of the nation, and by the time we will be marking the 64th Nigeria Independence Day anniversary, we shall all praise the Lord,” he added.
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