Nigeria is a blessed country and the citizenry are equally well endowed in diverse ways. Nevertheless, there are still sufferings in the land. Indeed, the lamentations in our fatherland especially since Boko Haram insurgents seized our girls and the recent bombings in the creeks targeted at oil wells and oil installations raise a lot of questions and concern.
The country, with over 250 ethnic groups, has co-existed since the 1914 amalgamation. The era of the empires and kingdoms may have come and gone but certainly, many of our ancient cultures, traditions, beliefs, tribes and early civilisation have their origins in our old empires and kingdoms.
No doubt, we have come far as a nation and we have shocked the entire world by living together as one indivisible nation no matter our tribes, cultural differences and religious beliefs. The civil war was the greatest test to our survival as a nation but for us who fought the war, and like General Yakubu Gowon would say “there was no victor, no vanquish.”
Then came the June 12 annulled election in which M.K.O. Abiola, the winner died in unexplainable circumstance. Just when the nation was at peace with itself, the Niger Delta Youths who have been crying of marginalisation and neglect of the oil-rich region took to militancy. The mangrove savannah and the rest of the nation hardly knew peace then. Worried by the militancy in the Niger Delta, the Christian Associat-ion of Nigeria, CAN, held a meeting in Port Harcourt and in attendance, as providence would have it, was His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto. It was at that meeting that it was agreed that the Sultan would take a message to late President Umaru Yar’Adua. Interestingly, the late former president listened to good counsel and that was how the amnesty programme was initiated.
Somehow, getting the young adults who were in the creeks to accept amnesty was a herculean task. At a point, the late President asked his vice who is from the Niger Delta region to go and talk to his people. That was how, President Goodluck Jonathan who was the Vice to President Yar’Adua met with few leaders in the Niger Delta. The leaders which include this writer agreed to go to the creeks to meet with Tompolo after which he (Tompolo) surrendered along with his boys and they accepted amnesty. The rest is now History.
One had expected that the commu-nity elders and religious leaders in the North will adopt the same approach to reach out to the Boko Haram insurgents but that was not the case. Unfortunately, the Niger Delta militants have again returned to militancy in the region. This time, the bombings are so vociferous and the tune of the militants is lined with venom.
As at the last count, the militant groups have carried out 16 attacks on pipelines and oil installations between February 10 and June 10, 2016, a period of four months.
As a preacher of the gospel and a prayer warrior who has interceded for people as well as stood in the gap for the nation in the last five decades that I left the Nigerian Army for the Lord’s Vineyard, I must confess that it is the prayer of men that has kept this country as one otherwise, the doom predicted by other countries concerning our unity would have been achieved but God said “if my people shall humble themselves and pray, I will hear them.”
I am not in any way writing to talk about how some religious people merely worship tradition rather than worship God. We know that for any-body that worships God, there must be an observed change in the life of that individual. And there is no situation that God cannot conquer. We must therefore, not take God for granted. If not for anything else, for the younger generations who did not witness the civil war or June 12. The 2015 elections proved to the world that God is at work in Nigeria.
We are getting to a time where money will fail us. And no man should be-have as though he is indispensable. Nigeria is fast becoming a battle field but with prayers and a listening leader, the battle can be won – Victory is sure. But we need spiritual maturity, and those who are entrust-ed with leadership must not hide from themselves, after all they are serving the same master.
I have seen blame placed on the doorsteps of past leaders and yet not much is done to address issues such as Fulani herdsmen, destruction of farmlands and killing of innocent people. Not much has been done to address the back door introduction of Sharia in some parts of the country when Nigeria is indeed a secular state. The constitution of Nigeria mentioned Islamic marriage but nothing is said of Christian wedding. Our IDPs are filled with innocent people, some of whom are the future leaders of Nigeria.
Similarly, in the coastal region, life has become so brutish that you wonder if this is our once beloved fatherland. Even the rich are now crying. Of course, I hear that the poor are leaving their children in the market place after they have collected foodstuffs on the pretense that they are coming soon, just to have food to eat. The Church; and I think the other religious groups, are worried for Mr. President who was elected by the people based on public goodwill and trust. Indeed, his change mantra must not take Nigeria 10 steps backward, rather Nigeria must be seen making progress economically, socially and politically.
Thus in re-constructing the nation and reintegrating the people, rather than turn one ethnic group against the other or one region against the other, which is the semblance of the ongoing militancy in the Niger Delta and the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East have been turned into. In fact, if for anything else, President Buhari needs to re-unite Nigerians by ensuring that every Nigerian gets fair treatment. And we must know that a country dies slowly and painfully too when it evokes only indifference and indignation amongst a section of the citizenry. This is not the time to further alienate any region, rather the national development ship should be seen everywhere across Nigeria.
Anything other than this will make even those of us who have been praying for the peace and good of Nigeria to wonder if the President has a listening ear.
*Archbishop Avwomakpa is the chairman, Niger Delta Bishops’ Forum and president, Christ Missionaries Crusaders.
The country, with over 250 ethnic groups, has co-existed since the 1914 amalgamation. The era of the empires and kingdoms may have come and gone but certainly, many of our ancient cultures, traditions, beliefs, tribes and early civilisation have their origins in our old empires and kingdoms.
No doubt, we have come far as a nation and we have shocked the entire world by living together as one indivisible nation no matter our tribes, cultural differences and religious beliefs. The civil war was the greatest test to our survival as a nation but for us who fought the war, and like General Yakubu Gowon would say “there was no victor, no vanquish.”
Then came the June 12 annulled election in which M.K.O. Abiola, the winner died in unexplainable circumstance. Just when the nation was at peace with itself, the Niger Delta Youths who have been crying of marginalisation and neglect of the oil-rich region took to militancy. The mangrove savannah and the rest of the nation hardly knew peace then. Worried by the militancy in the Niger Delta, the Christian Associat-ion of Nigeria, CAN, held a meeting in Port Harcourt and in attendance, as providence would have it, was His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto. It was at that meeting that it was agreed that the Sultan would take a message to late President Umaru Yar’Adua. Interestingly, the late former president listened to good counsel and that was how the amnesty programme was initiated.
Somehow, getting the young adults who were in the creeks to accept amnesty was a herculean task. At a point, the late President asked his vice who is from the Niger Delta region to go and talk to his people. That was how, President Goodluck Jonathan who was the Vice to President Yar’Adua met with few leaders in the Niger Delta. The leaders which include this writer agreed to go to the creeks to meet with Tompolo after which he (Tompolo) surrendered along with his boys and they accepted amnesty. The rest is now History.
One had expected that the commu-nity elders and religious leaders in the North will adopt the same approach to reach out to the Boko Haram insurgents but that was not the case. Unfortunately, the Niger Delta militants have again returned to militancy in the region. This time, the bombings are so vociferous and the tune of the militants is lined with venom.
As at the last count, the militant groups have carried out 16 attacks on pipelines and oil installations between February 10 and June 10, 2016, a period of four months.
As a preacher of the gospel and a prayer warrior who has interceded for people as well as stood in the gap for the nation in the last five decades that I left the Nigerian Army for the Lord’s Vineyard, I must confess that it is the prayer of men that has kept this country as one otherwise, the doom predicted by other countries concerning our unity would have been achieved but God said “if my people shall humble themselves and pray, I will hear them.”
I am not in any way writing to talk about how some religious people merely worship tradition rather than worship God. We know that for any-body that worships God, there must be an observed change in the life of that individual. And there is no situation that God cannot conquer. We must therefore, not take God for granted. If not for anything else, for the younger generations who did not witness the civil war or June 12. The 2015 elections proved to the world that God is at work in Nigeria.
We are getting to a time where money will fail us. And no man should be-have as though he is indispensable. Nigeria is fast becoming a battle field but with prayers and a listening leader, the battle can be won – Victory is sure. But we need spiritual maturity, and those who are entrust-ed with leadership must not hide from themselves, after all they are serving the same master.
I have seen blame placed on the doorsteps of past leaders and yet not much is done to address issues such as Fulani herdsmen, destruction of farmlands and killing of innocent people. Not much has been done to address the back door introduction of Sharia in some parts of the country when Nigeria is indeed a secular state. The constitution of Nigeria mentioned Islamic marriage but nothing is said of Christian wedding. Our IDPs are filled with innocent people, some of whom are the future leaders of Nigeria.
Similarly, in the coastal region, life has become so brutish that you wonder if this is our once beloved fatherland. Even the rich are now crying. Of course, I hear that the poor are leaving their children in the market place after they have collected foodstuffs on the pretense that they are coming soon, just to have food to eat. The Church; and I think the other religious groups, are worried for Mr. President who was elected by the people based on public goodwill and trust. Indeed, his change mantra must not take Nigeria 10 steps backward, rather Nigeria must be seen making progress economically, socially and politically.
Thus in re-constructing the nation and reintegrating the people, rather than turn one ethnic group against the other or one region against the other, which is the semblance of the ongoing militancy in the Niger Delta and the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East have been turned into. In fact, if for anything else, President Buhari needs to re-unite Nigerians by ensuring that every Nigerian gets fair treatment. And we must know that a country dies slowly and painfully too when it evokes only indifference and indignation amongst a section of the citizenry. This is not the time to further alienate any region, rather the national development ship should be seen everywhere across Nigeria.
Anything other than this will make even those of us who have been praying for the peace and good of Nigeria to wonder if the President has a listening ear.
*Archbishop Avwomakpa is the chairman, Niger Delta Bishops’ Forum and president, Christ Missionaries Crusaders.
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