.The Bishop of the Diocese of Niger Delta North, Rt. Rev. Wisdom Ihunwo has said Nigeria is at a critical juncture and needs leaders with the fear of God to enable her overcome current security, socioeconomic and political challenges.
He observed that Nigeria is going through a lot of challenges mainly because of man’s inhumanity to man.
Bishop Ihunwo made the assertion in his sermon during the funeral service of late elder Amos Kinikanwo Nyeche at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Rumuepirikom, in Obio-Akpor council of Rivers state on Saturday.
Late elder Amos Kinikanwo Nyeche, who passed on in February 2022 at the age of 104 years, was an uncle of the Rivers state governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
The bishop, who spoke on the theme, “Your days are few, use them wisely,” lamented the growing insecurity and socioeconomic challenges facing Nigeria, and said only leaders with the fear of God can rescue the country and restore her to the path of greatness.
“We pray that God will give us leaders in this country that fear him. When you have a leader that does not fear God, he can do anything, he does not care. People are dying, it does not move him. That is not a good leader.
“May God give us leader that when people are hungry, he is hungry. When people are sick he is sick. When people are dying, he will not sleep, he will not travel. He will go to the people and mourn with them.”
Citing the brevity of life, the Bishop warned people not to live their lives on earth in perpetual wickedness. According to him, God’s day of reckoning awaits perpetrators of the wanton killings across the country.
“Our lives are in the hands of the Almighty, and that is why those who take people’s lives think they’ll live forever. The Bible says he who kills by the sword, will also die by the sword…Nobody has right to take another man’s life because you have no power to give life.”
The Bishop described late elder Amos Kinikanwo Nyeche as a man of peace and a lover of God, and urged people to emulate his virtues. According to him, lack of love is responsible for Nigeria’s seeming intractable challenges.
“Nigeria is going through a lot because of man’s inhumanity to man. Our lives should not be lived in wickedness. Our lives should not be lived in meting out all kind of things against our fellow human beings. We must live in love, we must live in peace. We must live in unity. We cannot say we are one and we are killing ourselves. Life must not be lived in wickedness.”
Bishop Ihunwo wished Governor Wike well in his presidential ambition. He prayed God to help him actualise his political aspiration to lead the country at this critical juncture.
Present at the funeral service were Governor Wike; Governor of Benue state, Dr. Samuel Ortom; the South-South National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Dan Orbih; Chairman, Rivers state PDP Elder Forum, Ferdinand Alabraba; the Speaker, Rivers state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani; PDP Chairman in Rivers state, Ambassador Desmond Akawor.
Other dignitaries included members of the National Assembly, Local government chairmen, friends and family of the deceased.
Kelvin Ebiri
Special Assistant Media to the Rivers State Governor.
April 2, 2022.
