Oh God! Please save our country…Clerics pray for Nigerian citizens at 56

Following various comments and recommendations for moving the country forward, as Nigeria celebrates its 56th independence anniversary, a new beginning for it as a nation, clerics from across the country prayed for Nigeria especially for unity, peace, progress, leaders, government, politicians, victims of insurgency, the widowed, the persecuted, the oppressed, families, among others.

Most Reverend (Dr) Samuel Abidoye, Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide, Ayo Ni O

May this nation experience peace, prosperity and divine visitation. May God remember this nation and save it from unnecessary bloodshed. May the joy of the Lord be the heritage of the citizens of this nation. May God open the hearts of Nigerians to see one another as brothers and sisters. May there be abundance in the land. May both the poor and the rich have enough to eat in Jesus’ name. May the current administration receive help from the creator to rule with truth, justice and honesty. May Nigeria survive in Jesus Christ name.

Bishop Emmanuel Badejo, Catholic Diocese of Oyo

Dear God and Father, as we celebrate Nigeria at 56, have mercy on your children, victims of insurgency and provide for their needs. In your mercy, put an end to insurgency, violence and bloodshed in Nigeria. Restore peace to our land so that all may rejoice in you forever. Amen.

Archbishop Michael Fape, Lagos Anglican Province

As we celebrate another Independence anniversary, God will arise and cause Nigeria to prosper. Our country will receive divine visitation that will overshadow our problems. Nigeria will rise and shine again economically with good governance championed by God-fearing leaders. Nations will rise from the East, West, North and South and bless Nigeria. It is well with Nigeria in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Reverend Musa Asake, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Abuja

Our God and Father, we want to thank you for keeping Nigeria till this time. As we celebrate 56 years, we celebrate Your faithfulness. Continue to keep us together, guide and direct our leaders, we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bishop Faith Emmanuel Benson Idahosa, Church of God Mission International

Lord, we pray for your direction on Nigeria’s education sector as we enter another year of our nation’s growth.  We have been given the task of educating the next generation of Nigerians that will eventually take up leadership positions within and outside our shores.  Teach us how to teach them to learn and how to grow to be leaders that the world can follow and that we can be proud of.

Reverend Ikemefuna Okafor, Anglican Church, MaryLand, Enugu State

My prayer is that victims of oppression should bear in mind that life can turn around. They should come closer to God. My prayer is that those who have died as a result of the uprising in the country especially in the North should bear the pains and come closer to God. I also pray that our oppressors should turn a new leaf and understand the plight of the oppressed.

My prayer point for unity is that God should sustain our country in line with the founding fathers ambition of unity in diversity. I pray that government sees the need to leverage the plight of widows and widowers with soft loans. My prayer point for prisoners is that government and relevant authorities should dispense justice with mercy.

Bishop (Dr) Samuel Olubayo Sowale, Ilesa Anglican Diocese

Almighty and most merciful God, the creator and preserver of all mankind, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons, especially orphans, as we celebrate the 56th anniversary of our independence as a nation. We remember in particular those who became orphans through civil war, automobile and plane crashes, the devilish work of armed robbers, natural disasters, insurgency and herdsmen attacks. Help us to eliminate cruelty to our neighbours. Strengthen those who spend their lives establishing protection of the law and equal opportunities for all.  Grant that at national, state and local government levels, we may have robust plans backed up with adequate funds to take care of orphans in our midst, so that all orphans will have sense of belonging by reason of our care for them, to the extent that every one of us in this nation may enjoy a fair portion of the natural endowments of this land through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bishop Seun Adeoye, Osun State.

Oh Lord, God of grace and mercy, I pray for widows and widowers in Nigeria. Give them comfort, peace and joy. Lift their hands and supply their needs. Oh Lord, heal their loneliness, be their partners, be the Father and Mother of their children. Our Lord and God, fight for them and grant them justice in the land according to your promise in Jesus name.

Bishop Titus Omoniyi, Methodist Church Nigeria

God of heaven, we pray for Nigeria that You may have mercy upon our nation at this time of economic recession, have mercy upon our leaders, let the fear of God be in them, and turn around our economy for good, take away poverty from our land, put your spirit in the hearts of our politicians so that they may be ready to offer sacrifice to our nation, Lord direct our president to the path of justice and peace, grant all these prayers in the name of our Lord and Saviour.

Most Reverend (Dr) J.O. Akinfenwa, Ibadan Anglican Diocese

As Nigeria celebrates its independence, we beseech God to heal our land and the people. Today, our people are suffering and dying of myriads of preventable, avoidable and treatable diseases. May it please God in His mercy to release His healing power across the nation and to restore those under the burden of epidemic; those whose health have been compromised by abuse of the environment; those poisoned by chemicals and other toxic substances, victims of industrial, domestic, road and other accidents; and many others who are currently on their sick beds across our land. Lord, we particularly plead with you to stay the hand of the scourge of cancer ravaging our land, especially our women. We also pray your blessings upon efforts to eradicate polio in our land; please strengthen those working hard to ensure that this wasting disease is finally banished from our nation.

Pastor Dan Obinebo, Victory Prayer Ministry

My prayer is that the country will prosper and move forward. Agitations for division should be dropped for peace and progress of the nation. We should see ourselves as one nation where peace reigns. I pray that someday all the ethnic nationalities will see themselves as brothers. I also pray for those involved in the fight against insurgency and militancy. My prayer point for prisoners is that there should be drastic reduction in crime and speedy trials in our courts to reduce prison congestion.

Bishop Peter Ogunmuyiwa, CAN Cordinating Chaplain

I pray that the wisdom of God will come upon all political leaders. I also pray that God will remove every spirit of greed in the heart of our leaders and that God will visit Nigeria and heal our land. May He bless us with people with the fear of God and political leaders with heaven consciousness who have the people at heart. May God help us to discover talented economists that He will use to take us out of our economic recession to a level of prosperity of our land. I pray that there will be peace, stability, and religious stability and that the peace of God will take place in every aspect of our lives.

Pastor Bright Edada, House on the Rock, Ebonyi State

Our father, we ask of your blessings upon our nation, we seek your face and turn from our wicked ways, heal our economy and teach our leaders to do right in Jesus name.

Reverend Joseph Adelekan, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Makera, Kaduna State

As we celebrate, let us thank God for what He is doing and what He will do, for the best is yet to come. Let’s thank God for our leaders. I pray for strong unity among us all. I pray for God’s peace to rule in our land. Our youths  shall be preserved to build this nation better. The power of God will move again in our land to eradicate all forms of kidnapping, killing, stealing, cheating and other vices. Nigeria shall be great again and the dream  of our founding fathers shall come to reality.

Pastor Olu Makinwa, Bible Society of Nigeria

Father, we thank you for saving and redeeming this country. We thank you for your glory over this nation. We thank you for what you did 56 years ago. We thank God for what He has done, what He is doing and what He will do for Nigeria. For the past 56 years, we know that by now, there are things we expect that we haven’t yet seen in Nigeria. But you said in Your word that we should continue to give thanks because we know that tomorrow will be good for Nigeria. We pray that as we celebrate Nigeria, the glory of Nigeria will rise again. Our hope is in God that Nigeria will rise again and that its glory will shine. Nigeria will not mourn again and we shall always have cause to glorify God in Jesus’ name.

Pastor B.O. Akanmu, Chairman, CAN, Oyo State

As Nigeria celebrates its independence, I pray for all our leaders at the helm of affairs that God will give them a simple heart to do what is right at all times. I pray that Nigeria’s lost glory will be restored and God will take perfect control so that the nation will surmount its challenges and insurgency will be a thing of the past, in Jesus name.

Prophet P.F. Owa, Christ Revival Miracle Centre

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and they were saved. I pray God’s protection shall be upon Nigeria and shall continue to manifest more than before. The Bible says He will keep us like eyeballs. May the Lord protect Nigeria the way He protects the eyeballs. Jesus is Lord.

Reverend Samson Akinrinde, Assemblies of God Church

My prayer for children in Nigeria is that the Lord should endow them with special abilities, fresh ideas and innovative instincts that will make them solution providers and answers to global questions. I nullify sudden deaths over their lives. Grace will speak for them.

 Bishop Olukunle Amoo, Laughter Foundation Ministries

Our Almighty Father, we thank you first over our great nation Nigeria. We pray for forgiveness of our sins in this nation. Look unto our nation with your mercy through the precious blood of your son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We plead for forgiveness of ancestral sins, idolatry, murder, stealing, greed, selfishness and other sins that might be working against our progress as a nation, We ask for forgiveness in all realms. Imbibe in us the spirit of the fear of God in all our undertakings as leaders and citizens of this nation and let Nigeria be God’s own nation with peace, progress and prosperity in Jesus mighty name (Amen).

Pastor Agboola Ebenezer, C.A.C., Hand of God Ministry

Genesis 1:28 says “and God blessed them and God said unto them, be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it. Joshua 1:3 says every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that have I give unto you. That is the promise of God to all faithful businessmen in this country.

Reverend Ademola Akinpelu, The Word of His Fresh Grace Ministry

My prayer for pregnant women in Nigeria on the occasion of our independence is that just like the Hebrew women delivered without stress, they will give birth safely.  The power of God will give strength before and after delivery. Your lives will not be an exchange for your children in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Reverend (Dr) Terry Shaguy, REGAM Global Christian Missions

Heavenly Father, thank you for your mercy which has sustained Nigeria as one nation, in spite of all our sins and resultant challenges these 56 years. We acknowledge and are grateful that your mercy has indeed kept us. You have graciously blessed us with all conceivable resources, numerical strength, fertile land and high intellectual and spiritual wealth. You have spared us natural and scientific disasters. Yet, we have enjoyed Your goodness, peace and prosperity.

Prophet Paul Abraham Osinaike, Mountain of the Lord Church

May God make a way for all government workers so as to forget their years of sufferings, delay and wastefulness. I decree and pray it shall well with them. Their prayers for many years will be answered. They will enjoy and eat the fruit of their labour and nothing will hinder their promotion in Jesus name. Peace be unto all government workers.

Reverend James Akinadewo, Motailatu Church of God

As Nigeria turns 56, I pray that God will bless business owners and employers of labour. Their endeavours shall be fruitful. Their businesses shall yield plenty in profit. The Glory of Zion shall be unleashed on the work of their hands. Those owing workers shall be financially empowered to pay and their business moves rewarding. Impunity shall end in Nigeria and the glory of our nation restored. The captivity of Nigeria shall be turned for good; business owners and employers of labour shall enjoy the good of the land and Nigeria shall be great again.

Prophet Siwoniku Oluwasegun, Celestial Church of Christ

We pray concerning the economy of our country, presently in the hands of our dear president, that the anointing that came upon Joseph in Egypt, that made him move the economy of that nation to greatness, that same power should come upon him and he will be given the grace to move the nation from its current economic situation to greater heights.

Pastor Olu Eyebiokin, CAC Ado Ekiti District Coordinating Council (DCC)

We thank God for our leaders, both past and present. Lord, we hand our country over to you, please look down with mercy upon us and our country, in Jesus’ name. We hand the direction of this country to you, Lord please take control. This is a country you have established yourself, please don’t let the devil destroy it. Revive our ailing economy Lord and strengthen our leaders. Give us the grace of breakthrough, so that we would continue to praise you. We pray in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Pastor (Dr.) Tope Adeyemo, National Coordinator, Christ Apostolic Church Students’ Association (CACSA)

Thank you Lord for all that Nigeria has been able to accomplish thus far. We pray that you forgive all the sins of bloodshed in this country; we pray that you forgive the sins of our leaders in this country; forgive the sins of men, women and youths and the children. We pray that peace will reign in Nigeria  and that every form of insurgency and militancy will cease in our country in Jesus’ name.

Pastor Joseph Ayorinde Paul, Glorious Chapel Gospel Church, Cross Rivers State

The Bible says God will plead the cause of the widows. Jesus who is husband to widows will plead your cause and bear your responsibilities in Jesus name; may the helper of the needy rise for your help in Jesus name.

Reverend Michael Osobukola, Igbomina Anglican Diocese

I pray that as God visited Samaria, He will visit us by His mercy to turn our scarcity to plenty in Jesus name. Amen.

—Evangelist Abayomi Oni, CAC

I pray for all the needy at this time of Nigeria’s independence that the Lord will be your shepherd. Put your trust in him alone as I hereby declare that He will protect and defend you from all hidden dangers and deadly diseases, because He has covered you with his wings. You shall be safe. Even if a thousand should fall down beside you and ten thousand around you, you shall not be harmed in Jesus name.

 Pastor Abereifa Joseph Bayo, Redeemed Christian Church of God.

We pray God to Nigeria the spirit of oneness, unity and true love henceforth. Draw us together from all religions and tribes and let us dwell together in your fear and in your love. Let your peace prevail in our nation, in Jesus mighty name we pray.

Venerable O.I. Ogunrinde, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Odo Ona, Oyo State

God Almighty, we bring the youth in Nigeria to your throne of grace this Independence Day, liberate them, lead them aright, pour your grace upon them, heal them, prosper them and uplift them to greater heights in Jesus’ name, Amen.