ABUJA, MAY 31, 2019 (CISA)- Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Archbishop of Nigeria, has insisted on the need to tell the truth about the state of the nation saying there was need for spiritual reflection for the peace and prosperity of the country.
In a message titled, ‘Let Us Choose Life Not Death,’ taken from Deuteronomy 30:19 given during the interdenominational church service for the forthcoming presidential inauguration held at the National Christian Centre in Abuja, he stated that change starts with a change of heart.
“For a positive change to take place, we must all be ready for a sincere change of heart, from the lowest to the highest, but especially at the highest levels. Empty boasts and bare-face denial of the realities around us cannot build a nation,” said the Cardinal.
He insisted on the need to appreciate and celebrate ethnic diversity as Gods will and that people should be aware of those who seek to manipulate the diversity in a game of divide and rule for selfish interests.
“Those who manipulate religion for their political interest end up destroying religion and harming the nation,” he warned. “But all is not lost either. As we embrace a new term of government, it should be for us a new opportunity to change ways and review habits of governance, for a better Nigeria. We can and we should do this. God has endowed us with adequate resources to achieve this, resources that we unfortunately turn into crises and problems. Ethnicity and religion are two cases in point,” the cardinal further stated.
He also said there was need for leaders at all levels to change their system of governance in order to address the numerous challenges facing the country and its people.
“In this new term of office, there is need for a drastic change of government system, if our nation is to be saved from imminent chaos. The sad fact is that many have already lost all hope in the future of this nation,” he said.
