Emmanuel Kehinde, ilorin
The Diocesan Bishop, Diocese of Omu-Aran, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Ecclesiastical Province of Kwara, The Rt. Rev. Festus Oyetola Sobanke, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari, members of the National Assembly, Governors, ministers and other political office holders to address the challenges of Nigeria.
He stated that Nigerians wwre suffering and wallowing in poverty, adding that political leaders should provide good governance and ensure the delivery of dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
He spoke during the fourth synod of the diocese at Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government of Kwara State. A copy of his speech was made available to journalists on Sunday.
Sobanke, who was the Synod President, lamented that many Nigerians were unemployed while some has no source of livelihood.
Our theme for this synod is aimed at appealing to our leaders, that they should remember God, Our dear President, Vice President, lawmakers, governors, ministers, and commissioners, heads of government establishments and parastatals, cabinet leaders, and all political stakeholders, let me make it loud and clear, Nigerians are suffering and Nigerians are wallowing in poverty.
” This nation is sinking. I know I am not saying anything new but I am doing it for the sake of emphasis and to trouble your conscience. You have not been fair to this nation.’
According to him, things have become worse in Nigeria currently.
He alleged that many of the leaders had betrayed the trust reposed on them by Nigerians.
The Bishop said, “What more can we say, we have moved from worse to worst. You have made people to call God a liar. You have refused to allow our prayers to be answered by your selfishness and insincerity.
“Crime has increased very rapidly in this nation. Kidnapping has become the order of the day, tribalism and nepotism are ruling our decisions, our roads are bad and fast becoming death traps, electricity in this nation is an apology.
“Nigerians are in pain. We entrusted our votes into your hands, even if some of us had done it, based on what you gave, all the same, we trusted you to lead us aright but you have failed us. We can not continue to celebrate failure. You have betrayed our trust and you backstabbed the church of God.”
“What has happened to employment schemes? Several times, I weep for this nation, but weeping is not solving anything. Doctors went on strike, and people die on daily basis. It is time to think and act.
” For how long shall we continue in this? This nation is blessed but we have mostly ungodly leaders. And when someone is ungodly, you expect the worst.
“Let me commend the few ones who have the fear of God in office. May your days be long and God bless your efforts. Please speak out among to them, be bold, death is never the end.
“We can not run a transformation agenda without a transformation leader. The need of the moment for our nation is for leaders with the fear of God, leaders with Godly idealism, one with standards and convictions, with a tendency towards the leader, a strategist, and an alchemist, who will transform our arid waster into a blooming garden of pure delight.
In Bible terms, the search is for a servant leader who will combine in one, the multiple and varied roles of a shepherd, steward, seer, and servant. Such a leader will come, not with titles, honours, and accolades, but with service and sacrifice.
“Nigeria’s recent history raised hard questions on the issue of political leadership. Here is a nation with vast, enormous, and indeed awesome potential for growth and development and a surface of human, material, and natural resources.
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