Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State says Nigeria is seriously bleeding and divided more than ever. He said the continuous wanton killings by Fulani herdsmen across the country is symptomatic of a failed state. The governor called for prayers for the country to surmount all the challenges facing it.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Francis Ottah Agbo, noted that the governor stated this during the National Prayer Conference organised by Nigeria Prays at the Ecumenical Centre, Yenagoa, with the theme: Lord, Rend The Heavens, said Nigerians must unite in prayers and resolve to work together to ensure fairness, justice, equity and equal citizenship.
The governor lamented that the country is bleeding and urged leaders across the nation to take the responsibility to stop the bloodletting, adding that the emergence of Nigeria Prays was more critical than ever before, as it encourages the different denominations to pray fervently for the nation.
His words: “In this country, God’s children, human beings irrespective of the God they worship are being slaughtered mercilessly, remorselessly in many parts of the country. Our nation is bleeding, we must unite in prayers and resolve to do what is right and fair. Our nation should be a nation of fairness, justice, equity, equal citizenship and United by common ideals of being the greatest black nation.
“We are united by our common shared humanity and nationality, so injustice and unfairness anywhere should be a concern to anyone and everyone in our nation. I join you in praying that the bloodletting, unnecessary killings in our nation under any shape or guise ends in Jesus name. God should intervene so that people will feel the need to do the right thing, be fair and just to one another.
“Anyone who denies his fellow man justice is less human than his victim because what qualifies us humans created in the image of God is our believe in doing what is right and just. So I call for a just, egalitarian, fair Nigeria where every one is proud to call his or her country. No one should play the ostrich”.
The Chairman and convener of Nigeria Prays, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), in his opening remarks, expressed appreciation to Dickson for giving Nigeria Prays the privilege of holding its National Prayer Conference at the Ecumenical Centre, which he described as a magnificent edifice built for God’s glory and the edification of man.
According to Gowon, Dickson has demonstrated his faith in God by building the Ecumenical Centre and urged other state governors to emulate his noble and progressive initiative to provoke God’s blessings.
The former Head of State, who noted that prayers can solve Nigeria’s problems better and faster than military generals and soldiers can do with physical weapons of war, assured Nigerians that God will honour the collective prayers and intercession for the nation, while also advising people to shun violence and retaliation.
Also, the National Director of Nigeria Prays, Reverend Moses Aransiola, enjoined Christian faithful to pray fervently for the nation, adding that Nigeria Prays believes in the efficacy of prayer and praying for the country, as it is the patriotic responsibility of all Christians.
He further explained that the organization has been carrying out its mission of mobilising Nigerians to regularly pray for the healing and transformation of the nation, through prayer rallies and to promote patriotism, transparency, integrity, incorruptibility in leadership and governance.
In a message, the President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Rev Felix Omobude, who advised Nigerians to pray and speak good about the country, because when they curse the country, they automatically curse themselves, assured that with God’s intervention, there would be a new Nigeria.
Some of the activities at the well-attended Nigeria Prays Prayer Conference included prayers for Nigeria, the 36 states and the FCT, Bayelsa, Dickson and the Restoration Administration, prayer for religious freedom, prayer against the menace of Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen and the grazing reserve struggle and General insecurity in the country!
