Lagos – An Anglican Bishop on Friday urged the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to focus on how he could govern the country and shun dissenting voices attempting to distract him.
Most Rev. Adebayo Akinde, Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Lagos Mainland, gave the advice at the opening of the 3rd session of the 3rd Synod at the All Saints’ Church, Yaba.
He said the tasks ahead of the president-elect were enormous and urged him to apply his economic and social ingenuity in rebuilding the nation.
He noted that doing so would justify the people’s faith in him.
“Our expectations from you are far higher than what you can imagine. Please, do not betray our trust. Endeavour to tackle urgently issues pertaining to the welfare of the people,’’ he said.
Akinde urged the president-elect and the vice-president-elect to “make a visible effort to rise up squarely to the challenges of insecurity.
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“Provide regular power supply, potable water, and good roads and surgically reposition our entire educational systems’’.
Akinde, who thanked God for peaceful elections, said that by transiting gracefully Nigeria had been saved avoidable pain.
He urged Nigerians to learn from it that power belongs to God and it is Him who gives it to people.
The Anglican bishop urged Nigerians never to forget that when “God grants us power at all levels of administration, secular or religious, it is to be used to promote people’s welfare.
“When power is used responsibly, it will bring succour to the people, foster justice and promote development’’.
The bishop said the theme of the synod, “Teach the youth today and fashion the future’’ was taken from the bible’s book of Psalm 78:6-7.
It dictates that the state and the church should harness the energy of the youth for development.
Akinde called for adequate upbringing of youths from an early age so that it could bring a lasting positive impact on their lives and the society as a whole.
Speaking, Prof. Wale Omole, the Pro-Chancellor, Hallmark University, Ijebu-Itele, Ogun, urged parents to play the role of a leader to their children rather than playing the role of gods.
“Parents should play the role of leaders wherever they find themselves, they should know that there are dangers in playing the role of the gods to their children.
“Parents should show understanding to their children, they should not dismiss whatever their children tell them because they may be saying the truth,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that synod is a special assembly of church delegates with a three-year lifespan.
The assembly’s lifespan is broken into annual sessions to deliberate on issues of urgent importance to the church and society.
It is the highest festival of the church, providing the three houses of bishop, clergy and laity the opportunity to celebrate God’s goodness.
It also provides them the opportunity to share vision on the path of development the church and state should take. (NAN)
