Nigeria at 62: Banditry, kidnapping, others still prevalent – CAN

 

Newly elected President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, has reacted to Nigeria’s 62nd Independence Anniversary, saying though Nigeria had 23 years of uninterrupted democracy, it is still enmeshed in collective struggles.

Among the issues CAN noted were still of great cause for concern are insecurity, kidnapping, ill-perceived killing and decapitation of innocent citizens, diminishing value of human life, including social injustice, making many citizens angry and distressed.

His views were made known in his message at the 62nd Independence Anniversary Service held at National Christian Center, Abuja, titled, “The Righteous Shall Rule the Land”.

In his homily, “I would like to congratulate the past and present leaders of our nation since Independence, especially President Muhammadu Buhari, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on this day and to appreciate his commitment to ensuring the stability of our democracy.

“For many it appears that the wicked is winning all, taking all and enjoying all. Many are worried and even afraid that the wicked is about to take over the rulership of the land as we witness desecration of worship places, violent threat to the seat of political power, cheating, blatant stealing of our oil, flagrant degradation of our human environment, denial, betrayal, rejection and outright exclusion in many areas of our existence as a nation”.

Archbishop Okoh equally lamented that with the distressing situation we have found ourselves, the wicked appear to be having their way by making fortunes out of evil practices with impunity; and terrifying the upright, the pure, the meek, the voiceless, the honest, and the hardworking individuals in our society.

He, however, noted that in the midst of all these quagmires, there is hope, noting that the bible tells us that the kingdom of Israel in King David’s time passed through difficult times in the land that God gave to them to inherit as we experience today in Nigeria.

His words, “God took them out of the house of bondage in Egypt, gave them freedom, and brought them to the land of Canaan. At a time, the wicked ways of their neighbours who worshipped and served other gods influenced Israel to sin. Those who sinned by engaging in idolatry and all kinds of corrupt practices flourished, but the righteous who could not see instant judgement by God became worried.

“It was in the midst of that situation that King David in his older years, wrote the book of Psalm, Chapter 37 to encourage his people, Israel, not to allow themselves to be tempted by the prosperity of the wicked”.