Nigerian leaders don’t have faith in Nigeria — Rev. Akpan-Isong
By Dave Okpogadie, Asaba
For showing lack of commitment in the Nigerian project and patronising foreign countries by investment and sending their children to schools in these foreign countries, Nigerian leaders have been branded as lacking faith in Nigeria by a Christian leader.
Reverend Samuel Akpan-Isong, who is the Pastor of Champions For Christ Ministry Asaba, took the swipe at Nigerian leaders while addressing journalists after the church service marking the celebration of love feast.
According to the Priest, the manner those people who found themselves in leadership positions invest funds in foreign countries at the expense of Nigeria was unpatriotic.
“If you have any business, I expect you to mentor that business in order to attract people. I will like to submit that if anyone wants to be a leader in this country, first and foremost, he should mentor the country. By that I mean his educational pursuit and that of his children should be here.
“His investment and wealth should be in Nigeria. Those leaders doing contrary and sending their children to foreign schools do not have faith in Nigeria and as such I do not see them as leaders. This is why they are not interested in resolving ASUU crisis because they don’t have children in Nigerian schools.”
He noted that as long as the country was not willing to put the education sector in order, the country cannot move forward because, according to him, education is the bedrock of development that deserves government’s maximum attention.
“Politicians are only interested in winning elections and after that they overlook the development of the nation. It is very pathetic that ASUU has been on strike and our children are not in school and our leaders are talking about elections.”
Rev. Akpan-Isong also frowned at the high level of political indiscipline and injustice which he said was affecting democracy in Nigeria.
He said the new trend among Nigerian politicians to prepare, propel and plant their children in political offices was a sad development that could hinder the growth of democracy in Nigeria.
The Priest, who is also an educationist, described the past seven years in Nigeria as wasted.
“The past seven years have been wasted and Nigeria had never been this divided. In the last seven years, there have been rampages here and there. There have been crises, kidnaping, ritual killings and all kinds of atrocities. So many Nigerians have lost faith in the country.
“Many people are telling the leaders the wrong things because Nigerian politicians like to hear the wrong things. They like to hear the praises of men. But in civilised climes, they welcome criticism unlike here where you are marked as an enemy when you criticise them.”
He, however, expressed the belief Nigeria could still find the path to greatness if the right people are elected to lead in all the tiers of government, adding that greatness would begin to manifest when people are allowed to chose their leaders freely as in a true democratic practice.
“We must also subject ourselves to the will of God. In the time past we have been doing things outside the will of God and this is the result. We worship God either as Christians or Muslims. We must allow the will of God to prevail if we must move forward as a nation.”
Earlier in his homily titled, ‘Keys To Manifesting Signs And Wonders,’ Rev. Akpan-Isong noted that every key has something that it unlocks.
“Doors are not just opened by any key but by keys specifically designed for them. Similarly, signs and wonders have its keys. They’re not coincidence rather they are supernatural,” he said.
He harped on total obedience and praise and worship as some of the keys to unlocking signs and wonders. He used the medium to enjoin believers to eschew hypocrisy in all of their dealings saying, “I’ve come to understand that in the old Testament, God did not hesitate in executing judgement on the hypocrite. In the New Testament, it was Ananias and Sapphira that exhibited hypocrisy and were struck to death instantly.”
