Ex-military head of state, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), on Sunday called on Nigerians to pray for God’s intervention in the country.
The former head of state, who expressed worry over the numerous socio economic and security challenges confronting the nation, said Nigeria was passing through turbulent times.
Gowon, the National Chairman, ‘Nigeria Prays’, was in Enugu for the South-East zonal rally of ‘Nigeria Prays’, which held at Grace Cathedral, Owerri Road, Enugu.
He said the zonal prayer hosted in Enugu was a point of contact for the entire nation, believing that with a contrite heart, the God Almighty will show mercy to Nigeria.
He said the crimes of insurgency, Boko Haram, kidnapping, evasion of farmlands by Fulani herdsmen, corruption, among others “are serious signs that the nation is undergoing turbulent times, that can mar the peaceful coexistence of Nigeria as one nation.”
The Enugu state Governor, Hon Ifeanyi ugwuanyi, who accompanied General Gowon to the prayer rally read the only lesson of the event, taken from the book of Jeremiah.
The Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical province, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Olisa Chukwuma, in his brief sermon described the hard times in the country as related to the situation of captivity in Israel, when the God Almighty raised prophet Jeremiah to condemn the evil and poor leadership that prevailed in Israel as at then.
He stressed that likewise, men of God should rise up to the challenge of criticizing bad leaders in the country, for them to make amends.
He said that it was only when leaders who had the fear of God to enthrone good governance were in power that Nigeria could be better for it.
Archbishop Chukwuma urged Northern elders to caution the Fulani herdsmen against evading and destroying farm crops of people in Southern Nigeria, unless they will be forced to stay back with their cattles away from the South East zone.
Chukwuma said that while he was Bishop of Bauchi Diocese, he never witnessed or saw where the herdsmen grazed their cattle in people’s farm land.
“But when they move down to the South, the reverse is usually the case”, he noted.