Enugu Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to ease the economic pains many Nigerians are suffering.
The coordinator of the Adoration Ministry, who is famous for his fiery sermons, spoke at the weekend in his New Year message at the “crossover service”.
”Many Nigerians are suffering,” he said.
“Though the President is trying on corruption and security, Nigerians are hungry; they want to see more changes.
“There is the need to assist businessmen and women in their businesses.”
The cleric advised the President to appoint experts who would help him to revive the economy.
Besides, he should consult Church leaders and eminent men of God to advise him and tell him the truth about the economy, he said.
“We cannot reach him for advice because of the kind of people around him,” Rev. Mbaka added.
He urged Nigerians to be patient and be prayerful “as your sufferings and hardship would be over in 2017.
“Nigeria is set to be great again,” he said.
In Ota, Ogun State, the presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church, Dr. David Oyedepo, urged Christians to obey God’s word to be successful this year.
Rev. Oyedepo, who spoke on Saturday during the night service to usher in 2017 at the church’s headquarters, said: ”In 2017, the quality of life of any Christian is dependent on the level of his obedience to God.
”The obedience of any child of God can silence every opposition on his life.”
Christians do not need to make noise to be relevant in the society, as they are distinguished by being obedient.
He said every commandment of the scripture was applicable at all times and to all children of God, irrespective of their denomination.
Bishop David Abioye, also of the Winners Chapel reminded Christians to obey to God as it is more important than the economic crisis facing the country.
Bishop Abioye his 2016 cross over message at Living Faith Church Durumi, Abuja, with the topic “Commanding noiseless breakthrough in hard times’’.
He said obedience to God had more relevance because it would naturally enhance the quality of one’s steps in life.
He called on Christian to practise God’s covenant of obedience to flourish even in hard times, adding that opportunities would still come because no circumstance on earth can render it useless.
“Covenant people that obey the Holy Bible usually flourish even in difficult times.
“If the covenant is on the path of grace, God’s covenant is committed to deliver it.
“The quality of your life is a result of the quality of obedience you give God; this is the time to be close to God.
“Seeking the kingdom of God first will always pay to the covenant of obedience like our salaries and allowances being paid,’’ Abioye said.
Cleric, Rev. Fr. Leonard Ojorgu, says the security challenges in the country will soon come to an end.
The Assistant Parish Priest of St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Ediba, Calabar, the Cross River State capital, Rev. Father Leonard Ojorgu, said during the New Year service that this country’s challenge would end “as God will restore peace.”
According to him, Nigeria would overcome its current security challenges and rise above its problems through prayers, obedience to God and good leadership.
The cleric, who drew his homily from the book of Isaiah 52:7-10, said Nigeria was faced with serious security challenges that needed collaboration of stakeholders to overcome.
He added that “one of the major problems facing the country today is insecurity. The North East has been under series of attacks by insurgents.
“The sect has carried out attacks on villages, churches, schools and mosques in the Northeast. But in this 2017, God will restore peace and unity in affected areas and the country in general,’ he said.’
In Enugu, the Archbishop of Anglican Arch-Diocese, the Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, urged Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of tolerance to build a peaceful nation.
Rev. Chukwuma made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday, saying: “no nation could develop under an atmosphere of hatred and unforgiving spirit’.’
He urged leaders to continue to preach peace and support the government’s programmes that would promote peace.
The cleric urged Nigerians to be security conscious “so as to easily fish out mischief-makers that are architects of the crisis in some communities and areas of the country’’.
Rev. Fr. Clement Mato of St. Rita’s Catholic Church, Mararaba, Nasarawa State urged Christians to ensure peace among themselves in the new year and shun malice to
promote unity.
He made the call in his sermon , stressing that Jesus Christ preached love all his life and Christians should to emulate him.
The cleric said: “Many Christians are praying for blessings and good life in this year, but how can we get all our heart’s desires in a world or country filled with violence?
“Some Christians pray against people who have wronged them, raining fire and brimstone on them in their prayers.
“As a child of God, learn to forgive and not keep malice; that is how love works and make sure you desist from sin to attract God’s blessings.”
In Abeokuta, the Ogun capital, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese, the Most Rev. Peter Odetoyinbo, urged leaders to be alive to their responsibilities in addressing the prevailing hardships in the country.
Rev. Odetoyinbo, in his New Year Message, said Nigerians needed to pray for God’s intervention “and for the fear of God in leaders as we look into year 2017 with revitalised hope’’.
In Minna, the NigerState capital, Bishop Martins Nzuokwu, the Catholic Bishop of Minna Diocese, urged Nigerians to seek spiritual revival to sustain good democratic governance .
Rev. Uzoukwu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna, added that “prayers would greatly assist leaders to fashion out policies and programmes that would improve the lives of Nigerians’’.
He said President Buhari needed the support in his commitment to repositioning the country for optimal growth. He lauded the political commitment demonstrated by the President in dealing with the activities of insurgents in the Northeast and the fight against corruption.
