RECESSION: Kumuyi, Udom foresee hope for Nigeria

GENERAL Superintendent, Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi and the Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr. Emmanuel Udom last Sunday assured Nigerians that the current harsh economic situation would soon abate. Kumuyi Speaking at a special Sunday service at the church’s International Bible Training Centre, Ayobo, a suburb of Lagos the twosome foresee hope despite the prevailing economic challenges. In a brief remark to the large crowd of worshippers, the Akwa Ibom State governor who extolled the virtues of the man of God, expressed hope that the nation would soon get over its present economic hardship. Despite the challenges facing the nation, Gov. Udom counselled Nigerians to appreciate that there must be a wilderness before the Promised Land, stressing that the nation had been sustained despite the challenges due to the prayers of Christian leaders and their followers. Udom challenged Nigerians to live righteously as any nation that must make progress must have its root in righteousness, saying that “it is righteousness that exalts a nation.” The governor said the things of God could not be gotten through short cut, stressing that Nigerians must embrace humility and repent of their sins so that God could take them to the Promised Land. Stressing the point to diversify the economy, Mr. Udom said over dependence on oil has not helped the nation and “I think the current economic situation calls for a rethink so that we can now walk the talk of diversification of our economy. “I just want to let you know that there’s no developed nation in the world today that cannot feed its citizens. If I can draw my analogy, you could see that God did not actually move to do anything until He found something for man to eat (Adam) in the Garden of Eden. So you could see the same is being followed by all developed nations. I just believe as at today we Nigerians will go back. There’s so much we can get out of the land,” he emphasised. Drawing further analogy from creation story, the governor main-tained that these are the days of the fruits of the lthI, adding “and when you are talking land, the first thing that comes to mind is agriculture. Anything we want to discuss today as far as the country is, our first step of development must be the fact that we should be able to feed our citizens.” “I also believe that Akwa Ibom State is the most blessed states on planet earth in terms of climate, soil condition and anything you can think of. I have a whole lot of women who have never seen fertiliser since they were born but they plant cassava and harvest seriously. “Plantain in my area is one of the best you can find in the whole world. The cocoa flavour from my land and from my climate is the best flavour you can taste anywhere. That’s why I say I behave like Moses. This is the time for execution,” he noted. On corruption, Udom said Nigerians must correct the notion that all those in government were corrupt, stressing that if corruption must be tackled in the nation, it must begin from individuals through attitudinal change. Also speaking, Pastor Kumuyi said Nigerians needed hope to make progress and that once there is hope and focus, the nation would get to its desired destination. He also stressed the need for attitudinal change for things to get better in the country, adding that this change would begin with a step at a time and with a clear focus on where “we are heading, Nigeria will be better.” Reminded that most Nigerians desire to hear his voice on the spate of killings of Christians in the North, Pastor Kumuyi had this to say: “Well I don’t know where those people are living that you said have not heard my voice. I just came back from FCT, from Benue, from Niger, from Kogi, from Nasarawa, from Plateau, from Adamawa, from Gombe, from Bauchi, from Taraba, and I’m on my way to Kaduna now. “And thousands of people gather together. I met with governors and deputy governors and executives; we spoke about things, mapping out ways forward. So I don’t know where those people are living that they have not heard my voice. Those who want to hear are hearing and you are hearing too,” he stated. Earlier in a sermon titled: “The renewed life of a rapturable saint,” Kumuyi charged Christians to shun all forms of covetousness, fornicat-ion, uncleaness, idolatry, among others and embrace righteousness and holiness of heart. If we are born again, we will set our affection on the things above,” he said, adding that godliness and righteousness should be the priority of every Christian.