Innocent Okonkwo
12 November 2009
Catholic Bishop of Ilorin Diocese, Ayo- Maria Atoyebi has advised Nigerians not to blame President Umaru Musa Yar 'Adua for the problems confronting the nation.
He said since every country produces the kind of leadership it deserved that Yar 'Adua was a product of Nigerians and should not be held responsible for the rot in the society.
Atoyebi said Nigerians should examine themselves before they point accusing fingers to Yar, Adua.
He spoke in Lagos in Tuesday during the opening ceremony of 2009 Anglophone African Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference at University of Lagos.
According to him, Nigerians should go home and examine themselves starting from the head of each family.
"What is the head of family doing? What is each teacher doing in his own class? What are those in charge of corporate institutions doing? We should be able to answer these questions before we point either accusing fingers to Yar 'Adua or confirming fingers to him," he said.
Atoyebi said the way out of corruption in the country is for Nigerians to be transparent and honest and then apply godly fear in their public and private lives.
He said the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom would produce wise leaders that could transform the country, stressing that Nigeria could be as great as the United States of America, if transparent and honest leaders take charge of the country.
He advised Nigerian leaders to realize that whatever they do today would be used to judge them tomorrow, noting that most people do what they like because they don't care about the future.
"They don't care about the future of the country. They want to eat today and they don't think about tomorrow and the future of our country. We need to pray hard if we want Nigeria to be great otherwise the vision 2020 will be nonsense and useless.
"It will just be on paper as Abacha's own, there is nothing wrong with his (Abacha) own but we lack people who can implement policies in Nigeria. Another government will come and say 'it is now vision 2050," he said.
Meanwhile, goodwill messages from Catholic leaders poured in during the opening ceremony with. Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Renzo Fratini in his letter describing the conference as the work of the Holy Spirit
"This is surely the work of the Holy Spirit and movements such as Catholic Charismatic Renewal, when well directed and organized, are worthy instruments of such growth," he said.
Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie urged the participants to be life ember that sets fire on whatever it touches.
"And when your surroundings are incapable of catching fire, you have to raise their spiritual temperature. Ask the Lord to increase that apostolic zeal of yours. Ask Him for a new Pentecost, which will once again set the world alight," he said.
No fewer than 3000 charismatic leaders from across African are participating in the biennial conference which has 'Africa the hope of the church' as the theme.
Speakers from Nigeria, Uganda, USA, Tanzania, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, Vatican and Ghana would minister during the weeklong programme.
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