Speaking in his Christmas message, Bishop Yahaya called for State, Local Government and Ward Police, to secure every space and the people in the country.

This was even as he advised that the nation’s military should go back to the barracks, saying they have outlived their usefulness in tackling internal security challenge.

He, however, said that there was hope that things will soon turn around for good in the country, adding that the nation is favoured by God to attain greatness among nations of the world.

“We have ungoverned spaces today, that is what security experts tell us. Is it not a shame that as a nation we have ungoverned spaces? Who is supposed to govern these spaces? So, for me, whenever things happen and there are excuses here and there, I think those excuses are not tenable.

“There is the need to hold somebody responsible. If you are a Commissioner of Police in a particular State and somebody is kidnapped and killed, you must explain beyond reasonable doubt why such life was lost. The Area Commander should be called to order, the DPO should be called to order, the people at the post should be called to order. When nobody is responsible, the space will be ungovernable, but if somebody is held responsible for insecurity, I think we will have more security in our country.

“There is the need for the rejig of the security architecture. We are talking about policing of our nation, and we are just talking about a federal police. I hope there will be a state police, local government police and I propose that there should be a ward police, that every ward should have the police that the people in that ward feel should be able to protect them because police affairs is an affair that should be everywhere.

“I want to say a big thank you to those who have died gallantry trying to defend this country. Those who worked assiduously, tenaciously with every zeal and patrotism to ensure that this nation is great.

“But if you look at some of the things we see, military officers betraying military officers. It is like some people within the system are beneficiaries of insecurity. A house divided against itself cannot stand. When you talk about insecurity, how many police men do we have in the entire nation because the work the military is doing is the work of the police ever since we started this insecurity?

“I want to see the rejig of the Nigerian Police and soldiers should go back to the barracks. These things that are happening, police can handle them. If we have a viable police, if we have a modern police, if we have a number of police that we should have on ground, I tell you they can take care of this situation. But look at what we have done today; we have brought in the military, and it looks like the military is not getting tired of this matter. They want to remain there.

“I want to say this with all sense of humility that what we have done with the military, it will take some time to heal in our country because it is like this insecurity has become like a market and some people seem to be benefitting from it. If you are one of those benefiting from this insecurity, remember that if you spill the blood of the people, your blood will not be spared because whatever a man sows, he reaps,” the Bishop said.

Speaking on his Christmas message, the Clergyman said, “My Christmas message to Nigerians is that this Christmas brings hope. For about 400 years, look at the book of Malachi and the New Testament, there was hopelessness and silence. But I want to assure Nigerians that this Christmas 2022 signals hope for this nation. Hope for better things, hope for turnaround in our lives. We must not give up hope on our nation. There is still hope, we can be the greatest hope on planet earth.

“This nation is endowed with so many things that God has given us. This nation is better than any nation of the world. There is hope in this country, and this hope shall touch every life in this great country. And we will be very happy about it. My Christmas message is that there is hope for this country and we must not give up,” he explained.

On the issue of next year’s elections, Bishop Yahaya said, “I want to say that democracy is about canvassing for votes, I want to plead with the politicians to play the game by the rules. They have signed peace accord but it is as if there is no integrity. If there is integrity, everybody should be given a level playing field. The attacks here and there, it means that we have anti-democratic forces.”

On the issue of the CBN’s cashless policy, he said, “As a leader that knows this country very well, I have lived in Kebbi State, camped in all the interiors, lived in Jalingo, Taraba State, camped in all the interiors, and here am I in Kaduna State. As a man that has traveled through this nation, I want to advise the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that it cannot equate us with other nations where technology is everywhere. Even in the city of Kaduna where we are, how many people are so enlightened to make cashless policy. Our policy should reflect who we are.

“Cashless policy is a great policy all over the world, but look at the nations that are implementing it hook, line and sinker. Today, even in Kaduna network fails. You go to PoS machine, it fails, you go to ATM to withdraw money, it fails. The network providers we have here need to wake up and be very serious. Therefore, for me, the cashless policy is a great thing but we have to be very careful before we destroy the economy of this country. I am talking about the reality of who we are, the reality of what we are, does it say we should go cashless, because there are people out there, young people out of schools, whenever you talk about a cashless policy, you look at the people you have.

“Today, to get a tank of fuel, you have to spend more than N20,000. In some of the villages where filling stations are operated, there is nothing like PoS. So when you are even talking about cash withdrawal limit, it is like you are living in another continent, not Nigeria. Whoever is making policy in CBN must reflect what Nigeria stands for and must reflect the people. We should look at what Nigerians are, study the demography very well before we enact a policy.”

The Synod, which was presided over by the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, The Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, who is also the Bishop of the Diocese, was themed: “Planted by the Waters: The Beauty of Walking with God (Psalm 1:2-3).” In his 88-page Presidential Address (a.k.a Bishop’s Charge) delivered on the Ceremonial Opening Day of the Synod, Primate Ndukuba called on the people to walk with God as God requires it and also blesses and punishes people based on how they walk with him. He said: “God demands from every servant of God, a close walk with Him. Every person whoever that pleased God had walked closely with God. To walk with God is to obey God in total surrender and submission to His Word, His Will and Instructions. God commands blessing and punishment based on the extent of our walk with God. He says ‘Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins’ (Lev. 26:21). Faithful men of old who pleased God walked with God.”

Ndukuba said, walking with God, entails at least 7 things, namely, metaphorically being a tree planted by the source of water, delighting in the Law of the Lord, meditating on the Word of God, obedience to God’s instruction, being led by the Holy Spirit, mission and evangelism and the righteousness of God. The Primate cautioned the people of the factors that can distract them from walking with God, which included the enemies of God, the prosperity of the wicked, flesh, sin, suffering, affliction and persecution.

Earlier in the Synod’s Opening Service, the Bishop of Kaduna, the Rt Rev. Timothy Yahaya, told the synod that it is only in following the Lord that joy can be found. Yahaya enjoined them to adhere to instruction of upholding and obeying the Word of God as given in Joshua 1:8 for prosperity and good success. “Success outside obedience to God is not good success and engenders dissatisfaction and frustration”, the Bishop said.

Also, at the Synod’s Closing/Thanksgiving Service, the Bishop of Lokoja, The Most Rev. Emmanuel Egbunu highlighted the blessing awaiting those who walk with God. He noted that the idea of blessing pervades the entire Bible and that Psalm 1 is like the gateway to the sanctuary and uses literary device of contrast to communicate the message of blessedness. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked” shows the great roles counsel has over our lives. He regretted that special advisers and counsellors in our country lead us into destruction even when they are paid huge amounts of money.

Egbunu called on the people to return to the Lord and to his word. “When we speak about the beauty of walking with God, it comes from delighting, meditating day and night on the word of the Lord”, he said.

Archbishop Blessing Enyindah, who led the Synod Bible Study also joined in the call to walk with God as the sure way of entering blessedness.

The Synod featured presentation of seminar papers and Choir cantata and attended by Chief Osita Chidoka who chaired the Synod’s Opening Ceremony/Launching of Bishop’s Charge. Other dignitaries that attended the Synod included the Dean of the Church of Nigeria, the Most Rev. Dr Buba Lamido, the former Primate, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh and over 30 archbishops and bishops. Others were SGF Boss Mustapha, Sen. Andy Uba, Sir Chikwe Udensi,Prof. Jerry Gana, Sir Olusegun Adekunle, High Chief S.N. Ukachukwu and Prince Sunny Ukachukwu.

By Princewill Ireoba