We greet all Nigerians, especially the flock of Jesus Christ the Lord who are citizens of the nation Nigeria, on the occasion of the sixty first independence anniversary of Nigeria.
We give thanks to God for yet another milestone in the annals of our nation. Despite great and perplexing challenges, this nation continues to exist – it is worthy of praise and thanksgiving to God.
We acknowledge that God has been good to this nation. Nigeria is blessed; and we cannot cease to give thanks to God for His blessings over this nation. Of course, a Nigerian with some keen awareness of current affairs may ask, What is there to celebrate when our exchange rate is at an all-time low of 575 Naira to 1 Dollar? What is there to celebrate when a bag of rice has gone from less than N7,000 to about N30,000 in just one political dispensation? What is there to celebrate when companies are retrenching workers and even some state governments cannot pay workers’ salaries as at when due? What is there to celebrate when traders go to their shops and all they do is to count who and what passed in front of their shops, because nobody is coming inside to buy anything? What is there to celebrate when in September, parents cannot pay school fees, talk less buy books, new shoes and school uniforms for their children?
What is there to celebrate in a land where kidnapping for ransom has become a national embarrassment that both the Army and the Police cannot arrest? Rather than incidents of kidnapping abating or reducing, they have morphed into a hushed, silent epidemic; and the kidnappers are bolder than ever. What is there to celebrate in a nation where, for several years and despite lip service to promoting
agriculture, some criminals keep destroying farms and slaughtering farmers (raping their wives and daughters to boot) without any
consequence? What is there to celebrate in a land where even those in the cities cannot sleep in peace for fear of armed robbers who now operate with unprecedented confidence/impunity?
What is there to celebrate…?
Yet, we must celebrate. We must celebrate hope. Hope for a better tomorrow. Hope that the forces of darkness shall not prevail ultimately; that there shall be light at the end of this dark tunnel.
Job 14: 7 says,
For there is hope for a tree, lf it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease. Though its root may grow old in the earth, and its stump may die in the ground, Yet at the scent of water it will bud and bring forth branches like a plant.
As we celebrate the 2021 Independence Day of our nation therefore, we urge all Christians home and abroad (and all Nigerians, in fact) to refuse to lose hope. Let us refuse to surrender our nation to forces of evil and injustice, however intimidating those forces may be. Let rekindled hope move us to a place of passionate intercession and positive action concerning our nation, knowing that:
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2Corinthians 10: 3 – 5)
The Bible says further:
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5: 16)
Of course, there is heightened concern over the consequences of widespread corruption, injustice and the shedding of innocent blood in Nigeria, yet, the word of God assures us that:
lf my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
As we celebrate another independence anniversary, let us all commit to making the sacrifice of intercession for our nation Nigeria. The sacrifice of heartfelt and intense prayers, not mere lip service, is a powerful tool of national rebirth. We need that tool urgently now. May we be reminded that this nation was born on the altar of sacrifice. We call it “the labour of our heroes past”. It will only be restored through the sacrifices or labours of “heroes present” – visionary people, principled people, men and women of integrity who will not compromise valued ethics; these shall be the corner pieces of the foundation of the new Nigeria that we desire. Today, let us call to mind the prayer in the second stanza of our National Anthem. It says:
O God of creation, direct our noble cause
Guide our leaders right
Help our youth the truth to know
In love and honesty to grow
And living just and true
Great lofty heights attain
To build a nation where peace, and justice shall reign.
May the Lord amplify this prayer in our hearts, and help us all to become agents of positive change in Nigeria. As we do, we shall yet sing a new song of peace, joy and abundance in this nation.
Happy Independence Anniversary!
Most Revd Dr Joseph Olatunji Akinfenwa,
Lord Bishop of lbadan Anglican Diocese.
