Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson at the weekend called for peaceful coexistence and immediate end to the senseless killings in the country.
Dickson noted that the ongoing killings in the country were symptoms of a failed state.
The governor lamented that Nigeria was seriously bleeding and divided more than ever.
“The continuous wanton killings by Fulani herdsmen across the country is symptomatic of a failed state”, Dickson said but called for prayers to surmount all the challenges facing the country.
Dickson spoke during the National Prayer Conference organised by Nigeria Prays at the Ecumenical Centre, Yenagoa, with the theme: Lord Rend The Heavens.
He said Nigerians must unite in prayers and resolve to work together to ensure fairness, justice, equity and equal citizenship.
Dickson urged leaders across the country to take the responsibility and stop the bloodletting, adding that the emergence of Nigeria Prays was more critical than ever before, as it encouraged the different denominations to pray fervently for the nation.
His said: “In this country, God’s children, human beings irrespective of the God they worship are being slaughtered mercilessly, remorselessly in many parts of the country. Our nation is bleeding, we must unite in prayers and resolve to do what is right and fair. Our nation should be a nation of fairness, justice, equity, equal citizenship and United by common ideals of being the greatest black nation.
“We are united by our common shared humanity and nationality, so injustice and unfairness anywhere should be a concern to anyone and everyone in our nation. I join you in praying that the bloodletting, unnecessary killings in our nation under any shape or guise ends. God should intervene so that people will feel the need to do the right thing, be fair and just to one another.
“Anyone who denies his fellow man justice is less human than his victim because what qualifies us humans created in the image of God is our belief in doing what is right and just.
“So I call for a just, egalitarian, fair Nigeria where every one is proud to call his or her country. No one should play the ostrich”.
The Chairman and convener of Nigeria Prays, retired General Yakubu Gowon in his opening remarks expressed appreciation to Dickson for giving Nigeria Prays the privilege of holding its National Prayer Conference at the Ecumenical Centre.
According to Gowon, the governor has demonstrated his faith in God by building the Ecumenical Centre and urged other state governors to emulate his noble and progressive initiative.
The former Head of State, who noted that, prayers can solve Nigeria’s problems better and faster than military generals and soldiers can do with physical weapons of war.
He assured Nigerians that God would honour the collective prayers and intercession for the nation, while also advising people to shun violence and retaliation.
Also, the National Director of Nigeria Prays, Reverend Moses Aransiola enjoined Christian faithful to pray fervently for the nation.
He added that Nigeria Prays believes in the efficacy of prayer and praying for the country, as it is the patriotic responsibility of all Christians.
In a message, the President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Reverend Felix Provide, advised Nigerians to pray and speak good about the country.
He when people curse the country, they automatically curse themselves and assured that, with God’s intervention, there would be a new Nigeria.
THE NATION
