Nigeria @ 54: Time for National Rebirth- Methodist Prelate

Posted by African Examiner Articles/Opinion, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, September 30th, 2014

The Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Samuel Uche has called for a National Rebirth as the Nation celebrates her 54th Anniversary.

In his Independence Day Celebration goodwill message made available by the Church’s Media and Public Relations Officer, Rev. Oladapo Daramola, the Prelate said ” it is time for all hands to be on deck to save the Ship of State from sinking. While our Independence Day is a day to thank God and celebrate our freedom and the opportunity to be the ‘Captain of our own Ship’, it is also a day of stock-taking, a time for us to look back and evaluate our successes and failures. It is that time when we look at what our forefathers, who used everything within them to fight and make our Independence possible, bequeathed to us and what we are bequeathing to our Children’s Children and the generations unborn.”

The Methodist Prelate said “while we have achieved a lot since our Independence 54 years ago, most especially our democracy which is gradually taking shape, there is still a lot of ground to be covered considering where we are in the Comity of Nations, the deepening poverty level in the Country, the seeming collapse of virtually all the sectors of our economy including Manufacturing, Power, Oil and Gas, Road Networks, Education at all levels, our inability in achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, heightening religious intolerance, lack of rights of citizenship in any State where one resides and many more. What is most troubling is our inability to maximise and positively utilise the amount of resources, human and material available to us to become a great Nation which our forefathers envisioned. Rather, we continue to dissipate these resources and waste our human resource as evident in the level of unemployment which is not only alarming but incomprehensible.”

“This is the time for us to have a rethink and recreate ourselves. We certainly cannot continue on this path. There must be a renaissance capable of transforming our economy and socio-political life. Our economy must be more growth-oriented, robust and market-driven targeted at creating jobs, empowering the middle class and providing infrastructural support for entrepreneurs and investors especially the much needed Foreign Direct Investments. There must be deliberate policies that will transform the Agricultural Sector, a sector that has the capacity to generate huge employment numbers and turn us into a major exporting Nation and also aid economic growth. The Power Sector must function at optimum capacity because many businesses are obviously dependent on the availability of power, while the Oil and Gas Sector must be reorganised, restructured and made more accountable.”

The Prelate added, that, “It is salient however that those in elected offices provide the strong and focused Leadership required for this renaissance to take place. Nigerians have huge expectations, hopes and dreams, but our hopes are constantly being dashed which is why this present Leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan has a compelling reason to deliver considering the overwhelming confidence reposed in him by Nigerians. The situation today is not exciting considering the number of graduates who cannot get anything to do. We demand results. The battle against corruption must be fought sincerely and must be won. There must be

fiscal responsibility and responsible governance. Our passion and commitment must be renewed towards achieving equal opportunities, social justice, fairness and equity, constitutional democracy, and a shared prosperity.

“I wish Nigerians at home and in diaspora a fruitful and Happy Independence Day.”