Following the lingering political party
crises in the virtually all the political parties in Nigeria, and other pockets
of insecurity ravaging the country, a Reverend Father has called for caution
among politicians and their followers not to allow the predictions of the
United States of America to come true in 2015.
Parish
Priest of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Isashi, Lagos State, Very Reverend
Father Andrew Ukonu, made the plea in a press conference on Thursday 5,
September 2013, while charting with selected journalists on the state of the
nation at the Conference hall of the Holy Family Catholic Church, Festac Town,
Lagos State.
The Priest, who addressed the media said the
pockets of political party crises and insurgencies of Boko Haram, Kidnapping,
Niger-Delta Militant threats and other huge threats being witnessed in the
country in the last few years are capable of derailing the unity and peace of
the country, and called for caution among the political elites, public office
holders, stakeholders, party leaders, and other interested parties to fashion
out the best way to solve the internal party crisis ranging in the parties.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the Press, I welcome
you all to this important Press briefing which we called in order to add my
voice to those before me who have been calling for calm, understanding and
sanity in the body politics of our great and dear nation, Nigeria,” Ukonu
stated.
Speaking further, the man of God said he has
to join in the plea for calm in the polity because, some politicians are trying
or may have seen the present crises in the polity as a ‘do or die affair’ or
means to enrich themselves to the detriment of the nation adding that they
should have a rethink as the election season draws near for the interest of the
larger masses of the country and for the upcoming generations yet unborn.
“I want to categorically say, that Nigeria as
a nation if properly managed will not only be a flourishing country but will be
the pride of the black race the world over, but this can only be possible in an
atmosphere where peace, love, understanding, tolerance and most importantly,
where the fear of God reigns supreme”.
Ukonu who frowned at the impunity of
corruption, crimes, poor leadership, crass nepotism, mismanagement and moral
laxity among others said Nigeria could be a great country if purposeful
leadership, peace, tolerance, unity and love are eschewed among the entities
that make up the nation.
The Rev urged those fermenting trouble in the
land because of politics and what they intend to gain to put the nation’s
interest first before their selfish ambition. He asked them to allow God to
reign in their hearts so that Nigeria would bounce back into the original
country that God had created her to be; strong, rich and flourishing nation.
“So I call on Nigeria leaders and the led
especially those who are killing, maiming and causing untold hardship to the
masses of this great country in the name of politics and affluence to have a
rethink and allow the love and the fear of God to reign in their hearts so that
Nigeria will be a country that God originally created her to be; a strong, rich
and a flourishing nation”, Father Ukonu pleaded.
The priest disclosed that Nigeria could
overcome the present state of insecurity, poverty, corruption and many other
vices plaguing the nation but said it could only be possible if the citizens of
Nigeria would heed the word of God and work for God to permeate all the nooks
and crannies of the nation.
“And I
must add that it is very important not just to support and encourage but we all
must live according to the teachings and examples of our Lord Jesus Christ, in
order to build a prosperous nation that will stand tall among the comity of
nations”, Father Ukonu added.
Answering questions from journalists, the
Reverend said he saw looming danger in the firmament of Nigerian politics
through the crises rocking the political parties and the illicit activities of
the dreaded sectarian group, Boko Haram should the problems persist without
solution. He said no religion is supreme over other religion but what is needed
was tolerance and unity. According to him, true governance comes from God.
Politicians should do all that is necessary to use the resource giving to us by
God to harness the peace and progress of the country. He blamed both the
leaders and the led for the problems of the country because according to him,
lack of vision and neglect of responsibility by the led are the causes of poor
leadership. He disclose that the leaders of today where the followers or the
led of yesterdays. He stated that the led forgot that one day; they would be
called to a position of authority as leaders but for the fact that they never
took responsibilities of their actions as the led and fail to learn wisely from
the mistakes of the leaders, that when they are called to the position of
authority, they commit the same mistake of the leaders which they failed to
learn from his wrongs. He disclosed that the problem bedevilling the country at
the moment was jarred towards the 2015 election adding that the corruption,
selfishness rather than national interest are the factors that all the parties
are at loggerhead.
“They are not planning or fighting for the
interest and the future of the country but interested in building their empires
and themselves. Nigerians will not pardon this generation of leaders if Nigeria
should disintegrate”, the Reverend warned. Speaking on his own, Reverend Father
Kevin Okuma, Priest in Residence, Lagos of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church,
Isashi, Lagos State said he was optimistic that the crises going on in the land
would reshape the country for good. According to him, crises would instead make
the country great and position it in the right direction and focus. He mad
biblical allusion when he said that even the Disciples of Jesus Christ had
disagreements and divergent views yet it was for a purpose and it was for the
unity and peace of the disciples in their propagation of the gospel. Nigeria
will not disintegrate. We should be positive with what is going on now. We are
experiencing personal differences and that is what is happening, and what is
happening is for better focus”, Reverend Father Okuma, explained. In another development, father Ukonu used the
occasion to intimate journalists about the upcoming dinner and church building
fund raising event on 29 September 2013, in Lagos State and asked Nigerians to
help build a befitting place for God.
“This is my first place as a Parish Priest. I was posted here on the 17th
April, 2010, because the Parish was just carved out from the Mother Parish from
Saint Thomas Okoko. I am the first Parish Priest of the church here. The only
structure we have as at that time was the Parish Priest’s house, built by one
of the Parishioner, Mr. Ifeanyi Ufondu. There was no structure of church
building. We worship at a batcher and every time it rains, flood will enter
inside the church. The batcher has no ventilation, no seat and there was
particularly nothing on the ground. So, we started from there, with no roof on
our heads”. Reverend Ukonu further explained.
The Priest explained that the condition of the church is in a deplorable
situation said that it was the condition that forced them into planning a
befitting place for God.
“For so long, we have been staying
under the sun and rain worshiping God, so, we didn’t waste time to start
planning for building a place for God. We are planning building a befitting
cathedral for God. We went into action in less than a year, we are appealing to
parishioners, friends and philanthropist, and we are carrying out a fund raising
for that. We have raised money that helped us to have this foundation level
now. We have embarked up on the project. The foundation we have now is strong
because we don’t have space; the Lagos State Environmental Agency told us that
the church building must have a park beneath the building. So, we spent money
constructing the foundation”, he stated.
“We are planning to have another launching by 29th of
September, 2013 to help us raise the building. We are appealing to people and
friends to come and help us build a place for God. We know that when you
build for God, God builds for you. We
are expecting over 200 friends and well-wishers. We have been making contacts and
they have agreed to come and support us and we are looking at N500 million to
help us finish the building from foundation to the end. We believe that there
is nothing God cannot do. So, we wouldn’t want to be calling people every day
that is why we intend to do it once and for all”.
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