The Pastor in charge of Ogun Province 4, Region 12 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Felix Ikumapayi, has attributed the current hardship in Nigeria to self-inflicted factors.
According to Pastor Ikumapayi, the hardship faced by Nigerians is not entirely caused by external factors, but rather by the actions and inactions of the people themselves.
Speaking at a song of praise night organised by the province on Sunday , the cleric insisted that the lack of transparency and accountability in governance, as well as the prevalence of corruption and nepotism, have contributed significantly to the country’s economic woes.
“The government needs to be more transparent, and people should be held accountable for their actions.
“There should be a working system, where people can trust that things will work as they should. But when you have a system where people can deny the existence of millions of rice released by the government, then you know that something is fundamentally wrong,” he stated.
Pastor Ikumapayi emphasised that the lack of accountability and transparency has led to a situation where the country’s resources are not being utilised effectively.
He stressed, “If corruption can be stopped, if bribery is stopped, if leaders are sincere and faithful, then the country’s problems can be solved.
“We have the resources, both human and mineral, but we need determination, sincerity of purpose, and faithfulness from our leaders to fix things squarely.”
When asked about the recent cases of stampede due to hardship, Ikumapayi reiterated that the hardship is self-inflicted and that Nigerians should cast their burdens onto God.
He noted, “When people come together to worship God, he will raise people to meet them at the point of their need.”
Speaking on the essence of the praise night, the cleric said despite the hardships faced by Nigerians, a night of praise and worship can bring renewal, connection, and transformation.
He encouraged the congregation to forget their challenges and focus on praising God, who will arise and meet them at the point of their need.
Also speaking at the praise night, the General Overseer of the Redeem Church, Enoch Adeboye called on Nigerians to seek divine intervention in the face of the country’s challenges.
Adeboye who was represented by the National Overseer Emeritus of the church, Pastor Joseph Obayemi, emphasised that Nigeria is richly endowed with human and mineral resources, but the country’s leaders need to demonstrate determination, sincerity of purpose, and faithfulness to harness these resources for the benefit of all.
He added that corruption and bribery must be stopped, and leaders must be sincere in their efforts to build the nation.
The cleric expressed optimism that if Nigerians cry to God for help, the country will experience a turnaround, and peace will reign.
Recalled that no fewer than 67 people, including 35 children reportedly lost their lives in stampedes that occurred in Anambra, Oyo, and Abuja during distribution of palliatives to help people cope with the economic hardship caused by the high cost-of-living crisis.
It was reported that on Wednesday, 35 children died at a holiday funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State, while on Saturday another 32 people were killed at two more stampedes in Anambra State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
