Nigeria @ 63: Citizens still wallowing in abject poverty despite abundant natural resources, says Rev Dopah

 

EMMANUEL AWARI! Jalingo

The Director of Connectional Ministries of the United Methodist Church UMC, Rev. Dr. Micah Dopah has appreciated God for the gift of a nation called Nigeria.

He gave the appreciation while speaking with Daily Champion on the occasion of Nigeria’s 63^rd Independence Day.

“Nigeria @63, is not 63 days, weeks or months, had it been Nigeria is a civil servant, it could have to remain 2 years for it to retire”, he said..

 

Challenges

 

He pointed out that the major problem of Nigeria is the lack of the fear of God in the minds of Nigerian leaders.

According to him, “Instead of celebrating Nigeria @63 years of independence, the nation would embark on an indefinite strike because of the wrong policy based on greediness.

“If we could have gotten God fearing leaders, we wouldn’t have had corrupt politicians, judges, lawyers, doctors, journalists, business men, traditional rulers and so on and in fact, our society would have been free from corruption.

“Another fundamental aspect of our problem as a nation, let me start from the religious point of view because if the morality of the citizens is weak, there is no how Nigeria would be a good nation.

“Definitely Nigeria in the eyes of international community is been considered as number one religious country in the world, but with virtually nothing on ground to show”.

 

He  said that in some developed countries that are free of corruption, they have high level of integrity and respect.

“But look at our country, everything about us is only a show of shame.

Anywhere you find yourself in any nation and you said you are from Nigeria, people would just laugh at you. How can a nation at 63 years, blessed with abundant natural resources, yet citizens are wallowing in abject poverty, how can a country at 63 years, and still struggling with no clear record?

“We depend on rigging into position of power not in the power of our morality or not based on justice and fairness.Our leaders find themselves into position of power by crooked means and in position of power to loot and to get wealth for themselves, families and colleagues”.

He decried the high spate of insecurity, bad roads, dilapidated educational structures as some of the challenges that the nation is facing.

“Security have been tribalised. The protection of lives of citizens now depends on who and who have people in the Military, Police, Civil Defense and so on.

He described Nigeria as nation without God.

“If really we are a nation with God, our lives could have been different, our society would be different. Our country will be a place where investors from all parts of the world would love to come, but the level of morality shows that we are leaving at the mercy of God.

 

On the way forward

On the way forward, he said that Nigerians should return to God.

“Without God, there is no how the problems facing us would be solved. Definitely, the problems we are facing in Nigeria, it is only God that can help us”.

He urged the young generation to come up in honesty and in the fear of God.

 

“Our leaders of tomorrow must fear God and position of power should be based on credibility, not based on political or money.

“Citizens of Nigeria must first of all take Nigeria in his or her mind as our God given father land for us to get out of shame that we are in.

 

Charge  to Nigerians

He called on Nigerians to learn from the developed countries on their secret of development.

“We should ask how it is possible that the citizens of China, Japan, Germany and other countries are succeeding. What is the secret behind their success?. Nigerians all hands must be on deck for us to redeem our last Glory.

“You don’t see Americans coming to Nigeria to build houses, looting funds to bring to Nigerian banks, but look at Nigerians looting funds to build houses in America and Europe. You study abroad,  instead of you to come back home for people to benefit, you stay there.

“All hands must be on deck, Nigerians must repent (total repentance) and seek the face of God” he added.