2017: Nigerian Clerics Speak About The New Year

2017: Nigerian Clerics Speak About The New Year

Clerics, including Pastor E.A. Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), and the immediate past President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, assured that all will be well in the new year.
Adeboye, in his message,  tasked Christians to buy into the mandate of soul winning for them to have access to God’s unwavering blessings and total breakthrough in the new year.

Speaking at Magodo, Shangisha,  the RCCG General Overseer  explained that God listens attentively to the prayers of soul winners which is why God is pleased him because he does not joke with soul-winning.

“If you need a total breakthrough in the new year, preach the Gospel. I know God is pleased with anyone preaching the Gospel. Jesus is happy with me and would answer my prayers for you. You too can decide to preach the gospel to win souls. There is always joy in heaven among the holy angels when a soul is converted. You too can shake heaven and have all your prayers answered as Jesus would always be happy with you when you dedicate your life to winning souls”, he stated.

The wife of Pastor-in-Charge of RCCG Region 1, Pastor Rachael Odesola, in her contribution, urged the Federal Government to be committed to diversifying the economy by investing in agriculture and other areas, adding that if the nation’s citizens feed well, a lot of problems will be solved.

She added that the Federal Government should key into the wisdom and programme of the Benue State government that embarked on agriculture.

Oritsejafor, who is also the Presiding Pastor of Word of Life Bible Church, Warri,  urged Nigerians to endeavour to abide by the teachings of  Jesus Christ, who he described as the ultimate and dependable rock.

“Jesus, if you study your bible, is called the Rock. Not a rock but The Rock. That means stability. My message to the nation for 2017 is that Jesus is the stability of humanity. If we can rest on Him and rest in Him, which also means trust in Him, believe me, one way or the other, He knows how to do what must be done to make this nation a great nation. We must keep hope alive. Nigerians must never lose faith in God. Sometimes man can fail you but I promise you, God will never fail you. He is stable, He is steady, and He is constant. So my message is let us depend on the Rock. He will make a way in 2017”, he said.

Presiding bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, TREM, Dr. Mike Okonkwo, expressed optimism about a possible turnaround of fortunes for Nigeria, calling on every Nigerian not to lose hope in spite of the daunting socio-economic challenges facing us as a nation. “Rather than lose hope, I urge every Nigerian to stand in prayers for this nation, because I am a firm believer that prayers can change situations and circumstances, no matter how complex they may look”, Okonkwo said.

“There is no doubt we have all gone through some very trying times in 2016 especially with regards to our economy, but the grace of God has kept us intact as a nation. I also salute the dogged resilience of Nigerians who are always ready to weather every storm that comes their way. We cannot afford to throw up our hands in despair, so I encourage every Nigerian to continue to contribute his or her quota to the peace, prosperity and development of this great nation”.

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, in his message, congratulated the military on its  conquest of  Sambisa forest believed to be the last stronghold of  Boko Haram.

According to  Martins, the  capture of  Sambisa  during the yuletide, marks a major breakthrough in the army’s battle to rid the country of terrorism, even as he commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment and steadfastness in fighting the Boko Haram terror since he assumed the leadership of the nation.

In his message made public through the Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Gabriel Osu, Martins, however expressed concern over the blood-letting that is being witnessed in Southern Kaduna and the atrocities being committed by the so-called Fulani herdsmen, warning that unless the perpetrators of the violence and their sponsors are urgently brought to book, the crisis may escalate beyond current proportion.

In his own  message, the Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerie Okeke, said it is neither by power nor by might but by God’s love and mercy that we are crossing into a new year. With a grateful heart, the archbishop glorified God for His mercies this year and encourages every Nigerian to face the new year with hope and confidence.

While wishing Nigerian a happy new year, he prayed that the dawn of 2017 shall bring forth abundance of God’s favours, progress & blessings in our lives and families.

Anglican Archbishop of Lagos, Ephraim Ademowo, in his message, acknowledged that 2016  had been turbulent in diverse areas, noting: God is always on our side and there is light at the end of tunnel if we all rise to do what is right and proper as a people and as a nation.