A Christian Cleric, Reverend Chris Wayas, of the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria, has urged Nigerians to pray for God’s guidance as political parties prepare candidates in the year 2022 for elections into various positions in 2023.
Rev. Wayas told Voice of Nigeria in Gombe that prayers along with fasting would guide Nigeria’s present leaders at all levels to govern and direct the affairs of the people aright, as well prepare more leaders for election in 2023.
He said the year 2022 was a year of looking within the people and choosing who should lead the country and the states, hence Nigerians should pray for the emergence of leaders who would change the situation of the country for the better.
According to him, Nigerians should not allow themselves to be misguided by ethnic, religious, or even political sentiments while choosing who would lead them, but rather seek God’s guidance for capable people to fill up the positions available in the country and states.
”This time, let’s leave religion out. Before religion, we were Nigerians and we want leaders who will change our situation. Let’s look at who is capable, who will be able to deliver and bring such people on board to take Nigeria to the next level. Let’s leave politics of religion, politics of ethnicity, and so on and so forth. Let’s look for quality leaders. That is what will take Nigeria forward,” said Reverend Wayas.
He called governments to ensure that the desired basic needs of the people at all levels were provided, such that the farmer would have adequate availability of fertilizers, tractors, and herbicides for bumper harvests, while workers should be paid the minimum wage agreed on and provide a conducive environment for learning for children at all levels.
“So, governments should work hard to ensure our roads are motorable, because the rates of accidents, you can also attribute them to bad roads. People trying to manage roads that are bad and they end up in different fatal accidents,” said Rev. Wayas.
He said despite any form of challenges or the other, Nigerians have every reason to be thankful, saying “If you are still breathing, it is the hand of God. If you want a promotion, then you must go through a test. It is said that before gold becomes what we see and appreciate, it goes through fire. So, we have gone through hard times, it is to build us. It is to make us tougher; it is to make us stronger.”
According to Rev. Wayas, there is no point dwelling on the effect of suffering, because suffering prepares and makes people better, emphasizing that looking back, people have reasons to be thankful to God.
Overall, Rev. Chris said everyone alive had every reason to celebrate for seeing another year.
New Year Resolutions:
For the traditional New Year Resolutions made by some people, Rev. Wayas said prayer was the best option than a resolution, which places the art of fulfilling it in the hands of the individual, while prayers seek for God’s help in fulfilling ones’ dreams and aspirations.
“If you look carefully, many people have made New Year Resolutions year-after-year and if you check back, they don’t make any difference at the end of the year. It is the same thing they will repeat next year and the year after. So, I would rather that it is a prayer that we ask God. That this I want to do this year, give me the grace to do it,” Rev. Ways said.
He said such prayer should be consistent till the result is achieved.
Suzan O.
