.Onaiyekan, Sultan, others call for peace, reconciliation
VICTOR DURUAMAKU, Owerri
The Chairman, Imo State Council of Elders, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has called on religious leaders and all Christian Faithful in the country to pray fervently for the speedy resolution of the series of security challenges ravaging the nation, particularly the devastating unprecedented insurgency.
Chief Iwuanyanwu noted that the unabated security challenges in the land had become a serious threat to the nation’s march to greatness hence the need for divine intervention to halt the disturbing situation.
He stated this at the St. Peter’s Catholic Church, works Layout Owerri where he laid the foundation stone of the church and donated the sum of N10 million for the building of the church.
The elder statesman, who owns the land on which the church building is being erected despite giving out the land at a paltry sum, had earlier donated N9million for the project with an additional donation of N1million to the project.
Presenting a certificate of ownership to the church to ensure that no one claims ownership of the land, Chief Iwuanyanwu said that as an Anglican, he had always remained faithful to the Lord vineyard, adding that his belief in God knows no denominational barrier.
He thanked the Catholic Church for giving him the opportunity to lay the foundation of the church and gave an assurance that he would not only remain grateful for the singular honour, but would also continue to support the church.
Chancellor of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, Rev. Fr. Samuel Uzoukwu on behalf of the Archbishop of the diocese – Most Rev. Dr. Anthony Obinna commented Chief Iwuanyanwu for his benevolence and contributions to the church.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Inter-Faith Initiative for Peace (IIP), under its Tripartite Consultation (TC), has called for reconciliation, peace and national cohesion for a prosperous nation under God.
The group made the call during the TC joint consultation meeting on the “State of the Nation” on Wednesday in Abuja.
The convener of the meeting, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, said as heavy clouds of impending tempest hung over the nation, people should not just sit and complain.
“Nigerians cannot just sit back, complaining or merely waiting for the worst to happen.
“Many are thinking aloud, speaking out clearly, discussing and dialoguing to seek a way out of our impasses quickly.
“This tripartite consultation is one of such many voluntary fora for positive conversations on the state of the nation.
“We must find our way back as a country from the brink of chaos and look forward to reconciliation, peace and national cohesion, for a prosperous nation under God,’’ he said.
Onaiyekan said that the state of the nation called for major concern as the challenges facing the country were many, serious and well known to all.
According to him, Nigerians are talking, often complaining and at times even threatening to quit a dysfunctional state in which they have lost all trust and faith.
He said that in the midst of the voices, the government should come out with a clear position and explanation why certain things that ought not to happen were happening in a modern and civilised state.
The clergyman also said that the National Assembly, which is the institutional forum for fruitful dialogue and conversation, should try to measure up to expectation.
Onaiyekan, however, prayed that the Almighty and Merciful God save and prosper the nation.
Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto who also led the Nigerian Inter-Faith Initiative for Peace, urged the National Peace Committee (NPC) would go beyond restoring peace in state elections.
“NPC has done so much in building peace and solving crisis in state elections.
“It will go further in building national peace and reconciliation,’’ the Sultan said.
Former Head of State, retired Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalami, who led the NPC, said that the tripartite consultation meeting was timely.
Abdulsalami added that series of meeting have been held over time regarding restoration of peace and unity in the country.
He urged the group not to remain silent over the issues bedeviling the nation but to lend their voices for Nigeria and for Nigerians.
“Hopefully, we will find a way out of the mess we have put ourselves in this country,’’ he said.
Also, Dr Usman Bugaje, a member of the Working Group on Peace Building and Governance, said that Nigeria has witness more of a moral crisis and decay than any other crisis.
“Nigerians are looking up to its moral leaders to help.
“It is actually time for those with moral credence to come forward and help,’’ he said.
