Righteousness Exalts A Nation, But Sin …

Statement By The 
NATIONAL PRAYER ALTAR
On 
THE STATE OF NIGERIA

Sunday 25th June 2023

PREAMBLE 

The National Prayer Altar is a daily trans-denominational prayer initiative of Christians from the six-geopolitical zones of Nigeria, Christians in the diaspora, as well as nationals of other countries. The Prayer Altar started on 18th April 2022, and has sustained its daily online prayers to date, with participation in the hundreds. 

As a cooperation of praying people, the National Prayer Altar is interested in developments both in the Church as well as in the larger society. In compliance with the Scripture that “faith without works is dead,” the National Prayer Altar is committed to intercession as well as to practical national interventions.  Accordingly, the Altar candidly addresses the following concerns: 

THE CHURCH 

The current worrisome state of the Nigeria Church is an indictment on its leadership.  Unfortunately, there is little apparent collaboration among the tiers and members of that leadership to robustly confront the moral and spiritual chaos that confronts the Church. Unhealthy individualism and ensuing rivalries have fostered competition rather than cooperation among Christians and their leaders, stressing the point that the problem of the Nigeria Church remains a leadership problem.  Sadly, a divided house cannot stand.  

In the circumstances, we wish to advocate an urgent Christian leadership summit not restricted to officials of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) but open to all notable Christian leaders across the five Church groups in Nigeria (2 Chron. 7:14). A Nineveh-like solemn assembly would be a good starting point. 

THE CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (CAN) 

The National Prayer Altar and many well-meaning Nigerians have lately been distressed with certain developments connecting some apex Christian leadership offices in the country; a negative posturing of the Church that started in the recent past and appears insistent on continuing in the present.  The Prayer Altar prays that the current President of CAN would early establish his own standards of Christian leadership, to forestall regrettable crashes into infamy.  While this President’s commitment to righteousness cannot be disputed, an early break with the mistakes of the past is crucial. 

It is disturbing that Christian leaders who have appeared helpless and speechless in the face of the ongoing massacre of Christian communities in Nigeria would be so prompt to endorse and support the killers of their brothers and sisters.  It is sad that CAN would write a letter of congratulation to a government whose legitimacy is still in contention at the courts.  It seems to announce, sadly, that CAN supports the Muslim-Muslim ticket which it had all the while appeared to vehemently oppose.  It is worrisome irony smacking of hypocrisy.  It is sub judice, not righteousness, to so take sides, especially as election results are not only being challenged, but the conduct of the election itself has been globally condemned for its many apparent constitutional violations.  

While CAN might have been comparatively modest in its congratulations, the national leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) appears to have thrown caution to the winds in effusively pronouncing blessings on a flawed process and its objectionable product.  We hope that the appropriate organs of the PFN will redeem the image of that respectable Fellowship by calling an enquiry into how and who had authorized the letter and the worrisome congratulatory benedictions pronounced upon persons of publicly disputed legitimacy.  Meanwhile, let it be on record that, to the extent that the generality of the Church and its leadership were not consulted before those public statements were made, and since those masses have continued to express their discontent at the ecclesiastical leadership overstep, the congratulations remain the tolerable political correctness of those that sent them.  Their messages do not represent the voice of the people and are not binding on the Church in Nigeria. 

JUDICIARY 

While the world watches on as the current electoral cases go on at the Tribunal, let it be known that it is the judiciary that is on trial this time, not so much the elections, for Nigerians across political and other divides know the truth.  In the weeks to come, Nigerians shall pronounce their verdict on the judiciary, whether guilty or not guilty. 

THE MANIPULATION OF ETHNIC SENTIMENTS 

We are concerned about the obvious manipulation of ethnic sentiments for political advantage in the country.  This social virus is deliberately being resuscitated by self-seeking individuals to the detriment of unity and peace of Nigeria.  The candidacy of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a Yoruba agenda, neither is the candidacy of Mr. Peter Obi an Igbo agenda. The attempt to manipulate an impression that the Yoruba people entirely support Asiwaju Tinubu as their “own” is a mischievous political game. During the presidential election, the Yorubas, like most other Nigerians, demonstrated their exasperation with the corrupt governance of the APC and the PDP in the past twenty-four years.  In the same vein, the attempt by some errant Igbos to give the impression that Mr. Peter Obi is an Igbo candidate is equally out of place.  That candidate has had the support of progressive Nigerians all over the world.  

THE INTERROGATION OF INEC 

The 2023 elections have ranked as the worst in the history of Nigeria. Not only did the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) contradict its regulations, but it also actively sought to frustrate the electoral process, particularly in the deployment of appropriate facilities and logistics in that election.  It is imperative that INEC be interrogated about its handling of the 2023 elections, and the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, be properly investigated, unless this public officer is beyond the laws of the land.  The appropriate human and civil rights organizations in the country should commence a process towards that interrogation, as a precedence in future electoral engagements. 

MALLAM NASIR EL RUFAI 

In a video that has lately been trending on the social media, the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, has been heard making statements that verily amount to reprehensible hate speech. His comments not only strongly indict him of complicity in the genocide that ravaged Kaduna State during his tenure, but they also have the potential to further stir that religious intolerance that has made Nigeria one of the most terrorized nations in the world.  Unless the appropriate national security agents are ethnically and religiously biased, they should interrogate that politician the same way they have been known to readily summon lesser others accused of volatile incitements. 

Mallam Nasir El Rufai’s blatant infringement on public peace is where the strident voices of Christian leaders should have been heard, demanding his prosecution or his explanation of the claims in the trending video clip. Under the administration of Mallam Nasir El Rufai, thousands of innocent Christians were murdered in Kaduna State, while countless Christian communities were sacked by the Fulani militia often dubiously masked as ‘herdsmen.’  

REMOVAL OF PETROLEUM SUBSIDY 

The recent announcement by the APC on the ‘removal of petroleum subsidy’ without appropriate remediation for the plight of the masses reminds one of the story of King Rehoboam in the Bible.  Soon as Rehoboam was up on the throne, he demonstrated a gross lack of empathy with the hardships of the people.  The nation was soon destroyed under him.  A Yoruba proverb warns that the eye that would see the evening does not create dirt in the morning.  By its austere ‘welcome greeting,’ the APC appears to have affirmed that it is set to afflict Nigerians with more suffering than they had endured under Buhari.  Unfortunately, it is the same political group that, in 2012, vehemently opposed and castigated the former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, for attempting to initiate the same process that they now hail.  The hypocrisy is choking.  

CONCLUSION 

We appeal to all Nigerians of good conscience to lend their voices to the need to raise credible leadership for the country. Competent leadership is indispensable to peace and progress in Nigeria. As a people, we have suffered unwarranted hardship amidst abundant resources, because of our leadership deficits.  Anything short of credible leadership in this season would mean for the country to continue in penury and sorrow.  

Those who rig elections can neither claim to have been ordained by God nor to mean well for the people.  Nothing good comes out of fraud.  At the National Prayer Altar, we shall continue to pray every day for righteousness to prevail in the country, trusting God to heal our land. Amen. 

Endorsed by:
Bosun Emmanuel        SW
Kontein Trinya            SS
Sylvester Mbamali        SE
Linda Ndache            NE
Alabi Mojirade            NC
Hauwa Kure            NW
Ekashili Sunday        SS
Gideon Ghajiga        NE
Augustine Okoronkwo    SE
Emmanuel Gabriel        NC
Akuzuo Ofoefule        SE
Chiedu Issachar         SE
Doris Ipinniwa            NC    (USA)
Olufunmilayo Ewa-Jesu    SW
Ihuoma Okorocha        SE
Mary Anso            NC    (UK)
Peter John-Isagua        SS
Michael Adedeji        SW
Agatha Kio            SS
Anyam Anastasia        SE
Aduroja Delights        SS
Ngozi Udombana        SE
Ibironke Alonge        SW
Chimezie Oyeneye        SE
Joy Osedeme            SS
Eno Akan-Essien        SS    (Canada)
David Adebayo Alabi    SW
Ngozi Azubike            SE
Yvonne Ben-Kalio        SS
Gloria Akinniyi            SW    (USA)
Ilanye Jumbo            SS
Tom-George I. C.        SS
Elizabeth Fadero        SS    (UK)
Evelyn Alfred-Irabor    SS
Patrick Emmanuel        NC
Chinyere Adebayo        SW
Peters Ifeoluwaju        SW
John Okoli            SE
Adewuyi Titilola        NC
William Akhionbare        SS
Stell-Maris Akhionbare    SS
Aniema Ette            SS
Stella Jacks            SS
Zeuwa Okorocha        SE
Comfort Ewang        SS
Emmanuel Gbanigo    SE
Eduzor Emmanuel            SE
Agnes Odiase            SS
Benjamin Aditsoma        NE
Joanna Kadiya         NW
Odezi Evezi            SS
Margaret N. Iroha.         SE
Evarista Kajoh             NC
Okoro Ebi Cecilia             SS
Okwuchukwu Blessed     SE
Funmilola Oniye         SW     (UK)
Chinwe Nwagbo         SE 
Selinah Abu             NC
Omodele Sonde         SW
Tuate  Alagoa -Nene     SS
Blessed Sam Ogbonna    SS
Mrs Patricia Tawo        SS 
Henrrietta Ihonor          SS
Vivian Pam            NC
Biodun Oniye            SW    (UK)
Okwuchukwu Blessed     SE  
Blessed Sam Ogbonna     SE 
Elizabeth Agbetile        SW    (UK)
Hilda Omale            NC
Obiweluozor Chinwe    SE
Joy Anih                    SE    (UK)
Comfort Piwuna        NC
Abolaji Adeyemi        SW
A. G. Arheghan        SS
E. J. Ibrahim            NW
Helen Ezeanyim        SE
Olanrewaju Awotona    SW
Victor Okpako            SS
Ibukun Oluwafemi        SW
Oluwatoyin Osinubi    SW
Stella Ogar            SS
Chinyere Ukaegbu        SE
Chinyere Uduku        SE
Helen Ogbonna        SS
Doris Andrew            SE
Durotolu Akinyemi            SW
Deborah Soyoye        SW
Vicky Daniel            NW
Ifeoma Enweani        SE
Chidubem Akinyede    SW
Chijioke Maduka        SE
Chinenye Ohuabunwa    SE
George Bari            NW
Sodienye Alex-Hart        SS
Elizabeth Fadero        SS    (UK)
Adeline Olaosebikan    SW
Tunde Chukwujekwe    SW
Andrew Okwudili        SS
Rotimi Olokodana        SW
Moda Boma Simon-Hart    SS
Juliana Tanko            NW
Goddy Ihesie            SE
Ima Usen Emmanuel    SS
Bunmi Adekeye        SW    (UK)
Bertha Nnadozie        SE
Rose Okoro            SS
Oluchi Ema            SS
Ifeoma Enweani        SS    (USA)
Roger Tanko            NW
Ikechukwu Obi        SE
Chinagorom Okereke    SE
Jude Onwueme        SS
Christiana Ogaje        NC
Mosun Malomo        SW
Paul Oluwanibe        SW
Maryam Mpur            SE
Christiana Olawole        SS
Marie Ene Orgah        NC
Ayo Duro Emmanuel    SW
Fatimah Obadaki        NC
Lydia Peters            SW
Morebisola Agbesanmi    SW
Paul Etiubon            SS
Obahi Ogidi            NC
Abigail Dahoud        SW
Remilekun Adesomoju    SW
Ndace David            NC
Chinwe Onyebuchi        SE
Samuel Handan        NW
Aduro Peter            NC
Rebecca Etiubon        SS
Larry Sylvans            SE (UK)
Margret Adesida        SW
Magaret Ihesie        SE
Idongesit Essien        SS
Seth Odeneye         SW
Uduak Ekanem        SS
Alisa Wadzani            NE
Bukky Igunnu            NC
Nma Igwe            SE
Buraimoh Segun        SW
Udoh-King Juliana        SS
Elizabeth Obaba        NC
Okam Kalu Ego        SE
Ezekwe Elizabeth        SE
Ngozi Chizobam        SE
Awotunde Olukemi        SW
Tanko Jock            NW
Iniobong Efo            SS
Enakeno Ohiorenoya    SS
Nwakama Eddy-Ikwueze    SE
Ernest Nwokolo        SE
Deborah Ante            NW
Tony Simon            NW
Atinuke Amao-Kehinde    SW
Charity Okujagu        SS
Elsie Ososanya        SW