THE STORM OF HARDSHIP WILL SOON BE OVER- CAN President Assures Nigerians
...The Federal Govt recorded successes and failure in 2016
...The economic policies have no human face
...Blamed the Jonathan administration for the failure to free the Chibok girls
...Wants the anti-graft panels to follow due process
The President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Dr Samson Olasupo Adeniyi Ayokunle has assured Nigerians that the untold hardship they are going through as a result of the economic recession will be over very soon as God is intervening in the unpleasant situation.
The cleric gave this assurance in Abuja at the weekend while preaching at the on-going International General Workers Conference and Ordination Interview of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, on a topic, IT IS NOT BEYOND HIS CONTROL taking from Mark 11:35-41.
He used the storm that confronted Jesus Christ and his disciples in the passage to illustrate the economic recession and the attendant problems and said as Jesus calmed the storm for the disciples, “He is also speaking to the storm facing Nigeria and the storm of hardship will soon be over.”
According to him, “The past year 2016 was exceptionally tough for many people and organizations because of the recession in our country, nonetheless, we are aware that Jesus is in the boat with us because God’s children are in this nation, by His grace, the storm of hardship would soon be over in this nation and we would experience great peace and abundance in this new year in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Our situation is not beyond the control of our Heavenly Father”.
NIGERIANS EXPECTATIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AND THE UNPLEASANT TURN OF EVENTS
Ayokunle recalled, “The year 2016 was a year of change indeed for many Nigerians. The expectations were very high when we entered the year because a new government just settled down to business and better days were expected, especially when the slogan under which the administration came into power was ‘change.’”
The CAN President who is also the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention explained that the CHANGE brought by the Buhari administration has two sides, positive and negative.
His words, “The change really came in many ways. Some were positive while some were negative. Such positive ones are:
“PROGRESSIVE/SUCCESSFUL WAR BEING WAGED AGAINST BOKO HARAM. The Federal Government and our armed forces must be commended strongly for this and be encouraged to sustain the war against insurgency because in a country where there is no safety, there would be no development. Insurgents are enemies of the nation doing nobody any good except for their craziness. We would see their end in no distant time in the name of Jesus Christ.
“RECOVERY OF SOME OF THE ABDUCTED CHIBOK SECONDARY SCHOOL GIRLS. This was another feat for which the Federal Government deserves a pat on the back. If the previous administration had been reasonable and apt, we would have for long recovered these girls. The kidnap of the Chibok girls would continue to be remembered as the fatal failure of the immediate past administration. We pray that such would never happen again in this country in the name of Jesus Christ.
“WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION. The war this administration has been waging against corruption is heart gladdening and a beckon of hope for our nation because the corruption is a cancer that has the potential to destroy our nation and humanity unless we are all do something deliberately to stamp it out.
“However, care should be taken that fight against corruption is not used for witch-hunt of opposition but rather all embracing. Corruption and corrupt people are not limited to any political party but all. They must be fished out and be properly prosecuted according to the law of the land. The excesses or over-zealousness of the law enforcement agents leading to forceful breaking into the houses of suspects must be discontinued. We are in a democracy where due process must be followed, we are not in a military government or dictatorship.
“REHABILITATION OF ROADS: Some of the abandoned roads like Lagos-Ibadan Express Way have started experiencing rehabilitation. We urge the government not to relent but continue to push forward more and more until we get to the glorious dawn. The Federal Government must take responsibility in order for the nation to develop and also allow voters enjoy the dividends of democracy”.
THE NEGATIVE THAT WE DID NOT EXPECT
He then went to identify the negative side of the change that is making life difficult for all and sundry in the country and tasked the government to address it with a view to making life easy for the common man.
“As the disciples of Jesus did not expect storm in their journey, we also faced certain unbelievable hardships last year more than ever before. Some of these hardships were the following:
“THE KILLINGS OF THE INNOCENT BY THE FULANI HERDSMEN: The biting killings and destruction of farms by the Fulani Herdsmen without much being done by the government to prosecute the perpetrators of such acts. The most recent of them was the Southern Kaduna massacre of which the majority of the dead were Christians. The response from the law enforcement agents was so lethargic that the Christian Association of Nigeria had to call for national day of mourning and prayer to seek God’s face so that the destruction might stop and to protest and let the government know that they had failed to protect their citizens.
“No one that died untimely in that unchecked mayhem deserved to die. The killings of the Agatus and other citizens in Benue State under the watch of both State and Federal Governments were unfortunate and should be stopped immediately.
“THE RISING WAVE OF KIDNAPPING: This used to be rampant in the East but has almost become a lucrative business now in the West and North. It was very bad experience that Nigerians do not deserve to be passing through. A special squad if possible should be trained with necessary surveillance equipment to fish out these criminals who are in the business of kidnapping for ransom. If the government claims that they are doing something, they must do more.
“THE INCREASING YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT: The increasing youth unemployment is another ugly situation that is being experienced in our nation. The earlier the government did something to it, the better it is going to be for us. University graduates are roaming the streets without anything to do. Those who are working have too many mouths of the unemployed adults to feed. This has increased the level of poverty in our nation and job creation remains a big challenge the government must pay serious attention to. The increasing wave of kidnapping may not be unconnected with the lack of tangible employment for many of our able bodied youths.
“UNPAID SALARIES/WAGES: The inability of the government to pay salaries not only in the States but at Federal level as well is a bid dent on the government. My Bible says that the worker deserves prompt payment of his or her wages. Of course the Bible says that the wages must not be delayed till the next day. This delay in the payment of salaries has in turn affected the operations of many private organizations including the church. Our economy is public sector driven, so to a large extent, whatever is the economic policy of government has excruciating challenge over all other sectors.
“DEVALUATION OF CURRENCY: The devaluation of naira which has led to galloping inflation to the extent that the cost of living has risen and makes life unbearable for people. Fowls used to be a common gift to friends during Christmas celebration, this year, it hardly featured as Christmas gift item. Humanly speaking, things are tough for many. Businesses that are foreign currency dependent are closing down and people are loosing their jobs. This economic policy appears to lack human face. What is the essence of banning foreign goods when the government has not been able to make such goods locally available in abundance? Such ban would just encourage smuggling and a lot of revenue would be lost by the government”.
Ayokunle however gave hope to the nation when he said, “Our Situation is Under God’s Control. We need to be assured however that no matter how tough things might have been in the past year or presently, 2017 is seen with the eyes of faith and we can assure that these storms will soon be over and a glorious dawn would be experienced by us all in the name of Jesus Christ”
He advised those who want to experience the glorious done, to take some steps:
“Recognition of Divine Presence: We must recognise that Jesus is in the ship with us. Since he cannot be overcome by anything, since he cannot sink, since his boat can never capsize, we shall not be overcome also, we shall not sink, our boat in 2017 will never capsize. This calls for a close walk with him by all of us and a clear direction received from him by our leaders. They must allow him to rule this nation through them. They must be agents of God in the lives of the people.
“We must have the awareness that the Lord who is the Lord of this New Year, who made everyday of it was the one that spared our lives to make the journey into the new year despite the storm of last year and he must always have His way. His thoughts towards us are of good and not of evil and he would give us an expected end. May this year end with full testimony for all in Nigeria in the name of Jesus.
“Don’t be weary in calling upon the Lord: Call upon him more than ever before in prayers and more commitment. His ears are ever open to hear us and act in our favour. (Luke 18:1). He rebuked the wind and there was a calm. The Lord would rebuke all the things causing pains and hardship for us in the nation in the name of Jesus. Nigeria would experience abundance in this New Year in the name of Jesus.
“May the Lord not only speak but speak with finality so that inflation and hardship might become a thing of the past in Nigeria in the name of Jesus Christ.
“Be expectant: We would not doubt God about the expected positive turn around. Warning; don’t doubt God. Your doubt may be the only hindrance that would prevent you from experiencing God’s abundance in the New Year. Doubt exempted the officer of the king who did not believe Elisha not to benefit of the abundance that followed thereafter in Samaria. (2Kings 7: 1-2)
Signed
Pastor Bayo Oladeji
Media Assistant to Rev Dr Samson Olasupo Ayokunle