By CHRIS ONUOHA

President of the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), Most Rev. Dr. Benebo Fubara-Manuel, has lamented that there is an alarming hunger in the land, saying Nigeria needs courageous leaders to battle the situation.

Speaking in Lagos at the 8th induction Ceremony of the Very Rev. Dr. Evans Onyemara as the Council’s new Secretary General, Fubara-Manuel said, “Today’s Nigeria requires courageous leadership to fight hunger in the land because the situation in the country is a difficult one. Economic situation is bad everywhere and the government operates under the excuse that this is coming from the Covid-19 pandemic.

I call it a political excuse. Before Covid-19, we had been suffering hunger. With Covid-19, it became worse, and in this kind of context, we still find corruption, and politicians amassing wealth. We need the courage from God to define the status quo and recall our leaders to be repentant and for ourselves, show good example in the midst of this broken economy in Nigeria today,” remarked Fubara-Manuel.

Fubara-Manuel in his homily at the induction service admonished the new Sec Gen, Onyemara to be courageous in service delivery. Quoting the Scripture in Joshua chapter 1, he drew illustrations of courage and strength that Onyemara needs in his new position, saying that he needs that virtue because the call of God in his life shows that God has trust in him.

Also speaking, the prelate of the Methodist Church in Nigeria, His Eminence, Samuel Emeka Uche also charged communicants to observe decorum in the affairs of the world and pay heed to God’s world at all times. He encouraged Onyemara to be diligent and deal with tasks ahead of him with the wisdom of God.

Speaking specifically on the state of the nation concerning Hijab controversy especially in Kwara State, the Clergyman urged the Christian schools in Nigeria to observe tolerance in dealing with the Muslim brothers, saying that the quarrelling is unnecessary.

He said that there is need for mutual understanding among the two parties, for peace and harmony to reign in the State, adding that the quarrel bothers on immaturity and religious bigotry.

“I don’t think we should be so fastidious about this issue. We should be tolerant. The quarrelling in Kwara is unnecessary. I don’t think Christians did well to close their schools to girls that wear hijab. They should allow them; likewise Christians who go to Muslim schools must not be forced to wear hijab. It is a matter of tolerance.

“If religious differences in Nigeria should be the order of the day, there will be no harmony. There are good Muslims likewise good Christians. You should also know that there are criminals in both religions and it is illogical to say every Muslim or Christian is a criminal. Christianity, Judaism and Islamic religion come from one father. You can call him Abraham or Ibrahim, and if we are children of one father, why must we be quarreling. All we need is some enlightenment to encourage harmony,” Emeka Uche said.

He also advised the government to create jobs for youths so as to curb banditry, kidnapping and other crimes in the land.

According to him, “Criminality starts little by little and turns out big. Government should be blamed for all these crimes because they have no jobs for the youths. They should also create an enabling environment to allow jobs so that criminality and civil unrest would stop. In other words, I challenge the politicians in the land to go back to the drawing board and extract back the guns given to these thugs during elections, because they have voiced that they were not helped with jobs after elections and the only option left for them is to fight the government back with the guns. ” Emeka Uche said.

Very Rev. Evans Onyemara became the 8th General Secretary of CCN, succeeding the outgoing Secretary General whose tenure ended. The induction ceremony held last Sunday at Methodist Cathedral of Peace & Excellence, Ikeja, Lagos was hosted by the Prelate of Methodist Church in Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Emeka Uche, who led other men of God from the various memberships of CCN; a body overseeing the affairs of the Orthodox churches in Nigeria.

Onyemara, an Imo State born Methodist Clergy and a PhD holder in Theology, had held several positions in the congregation until his new appointment. He was well received by the communicants who spoke of his new office as a call to do the work of God.

Responding to questions from the media, Onyemara said; “God gives different abilities and I know that he has given me special ability to do his work. By the grace of God, the Christian Council of Nigeria will witness a new dawn in financial and infrastructural developments, in ecumenical relationships and every other thing we ought to address as a church in Nigeria.”

According to him, “This is a critical time Nigeria needs leadership and directions in different spheres, and I believe that with the opportunity God has given me, I will not let the Council down. A lot of ideas are in my brain, and I will put them to work and ensure that CCN policies and expectations are met,” Onyemara said. (Sunday Vanguard)

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