By Nudoiba Ojen
Notable Preacher, Pastor Femi Emmanuel has lamented over the current state of the country including the biting hardship currently being faced by Nigerians across all facets, submitting that the people have been held captive and are at the mercy of their political leaders.
Speaking while answering questions as Special Guest on the popular interview discourse, BOILING POINT ARENA, the Cleric said the pervading suffering and large-scale poverty being experienced by Nigerians are symptoms of a people captured by their leaders amid regrettable helplessness.
To him, it is for this reason that quite an overwhelming number of Nigerians are venting their anger and despair in the land.
Pastor Emmanuel who is the Presiding Pastor, Livingspring Chapel International, spoke alongside an Islamic Cleric, Prof Afis Oladosu of the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan.
The duo of Pastor Emmanuel and Prof Oladosu spoke on the topic: *Global Ranking of Praying Nations: Why is God not answering prayers of Nigerians for national progress*?
Boiling Point Arena, the 13th in the monthly editions, is the brainchild of the Initiator and Convener, Dr Ayo Arowojolu, a seasoned Media Professional and consumate Public Relations Strategist, with 33 years multi-varied career experience spanning the Media, Banking and Education sectors.
Pastor Emmanuel who once got elected Deputy Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, asserted that the root cause of Nigeria’s problem is traceable to dearth of credible and visionary leaders.
Hear him: “Let me say something very clearly as somebody who has participated in Nigeria’s democratic setting, Nigerians are very angry. The perception and generalization is that there is anger in the land.
“This is pitiably where our leaders have dragged the people into. The truth is that Nigerians are now at the mercy of their leaders. And the reality of it is that It is only Nigerians themselves that can take this country back from where they are now.
“Nigeria’s problem is bad Leadership. We no longer have credible leaders and visionary leaders. Credible leaders will not emerge if there are not credible delegates and credible delegates will not be there if there are not credible people at the grassroots. It is only the people that can deliver themselves from this suffering and go and take back what belongs to them”.
For his part, an Islamic Cleric, Prof Afis Oladosu opined that Nigerians are praying but not supplicating, emphasizing that there is a huge difference between praying and supplication.
He highlighted other nations like Saudi Arabia and Malaysia that are also religious and prayerful like Nigeria but do not have the same challenges that have held the country by the jugular.
Prof Oladosu affirmed: “Saudi Arabia is the epicenter of Muslim civilization. Nothing less than two million congregate at the Kabba daily. When you get to Saudi Arabia, you discover that things are working, corruption index of Saudi Arabia is far less than most countries. Go to Malaysia, and you will see a country working, Malaysia is muslim predominant country, the country is working and they are prayerful.”
Prof Oladosu argued that all the challenges and woes bedeviling Nigeria should not be laid at the doorstep of politicians alone, noting that religious leaders of both the Christian and Islamic divides should be reined-in such that our acclaimed religiousity should be matched by more level of godliness.
The interview session which drew a large global audience was transmitted live on an Abeokuta-based radio station, Sweet 107.1FM and via Zoom for two hours duration.
A traditional ruler, the Gbegande of Ososa, Oba Dr Adetoye Alatishe, delivered a keynote address at the event, appealing to Nigerians not to lose trust in God for remedies to all identified problems.
