Hardship: Take Nigeria To God, Methodist Archbishop Tells Political Leaders

Following the biting economic hardship in the country, the Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese of the Methodist Church Nigeria, His Grace, Most Reverend Michael Akinwale, has called on political leaders to take Nigeria back to God for a solution.

Akinwale, at a press conference yesterday in Abuja during the Methodist Church Nigeria’s 40th anniversary in the FCT, said that Nigerian leaders should take the country back to God in sincerity of purpose, not with deceit.

He said that is the only way out because the truth of the matter is that there is confusion everywhere in the country, and the people need divine intervention from God for them to overcome.

“Let both the leaders and the followers be committed to taking this nation back to God and let us seek the face of God. That is the only way out because the truth of the matter is that there is confusion everywhere.

“But within the midst of this confusion, we are looking up to God, that God will take absolute control. It is not for us to be condemning our leaders, because whether you like it or not, like Joel said, ‘like leaders like people,” he said.

The Archbishop also called on Nigerians to pray for the nation and the leaders by asking God to change the leaders’ minds so that they can do the will of God and work for the good of the people.

“No magic is going to happen unless we take this nation back to God and ask God to change the minds of our leaders and the minds of the followers. It is only righteousness that exalts a nation.

Sin is a reproach to any nation. We all are stakeholders in this nation.

“If you like, you may have up to six, seven different types of leaders. If the mind of God is not in the hearts of those leaders, they can do nothing. This is not sermontisation. It is the whole truth. John 15:5 says, ‘Apart from me, you can do nothing.’

“We must come to the realisation that we are extremely helpless without God. My advice to the government is that they should seek the face of God, seek God’s direction, and be truthful to the people. I pray that the glory of this nation will come alive again in Jesus’ name,” he said.

Akinwale, while speaking on the church’s 40 years of existence in Abuja, said the church has established various institutions like the leprosy centre, three mentally ill-destitute centres, and an orphanage centre for children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, that the centres reach out to the rejected and less privileged members of society.

“They also ensure the reintegration of those previously treated as outcasts and subjected to various societal abuses. In the area of health, MCN has established the Wesley Guild Hospital and several Methodist hospitals spread over the country, which provide good healthcare services in their environments. In addition to all other services, MCN has, from the beginning, placed a very strong emphasis on the need for education.

“Throughout the country, the church has established numerous schools, from kindergarten through primary to senior secondary schools and theological institutions which have produced men and women who have contributed and are still contributing very significantly to all spheres of human endeavour.

“The Wesley University is one of the giant strides of Methodist Church Nigeria in the field of education. Methodist Church Nigeria is headed by the prelate, who presides over the conference and is the overall governing body of the church. This conference meets every two years to deliberate and take decisions on all issues affecting the life of the church,” he said.