A strident call has gone out to Nigerians to stop hero-worshipping those whose sources of wealth cannot be easily verified.
Also, if Nigeria is to regain its pride of place in the comity of nations, we all must collectively reject stealing, corruption, and other vices that have continued to project the country negatively.
According to Pastor Wole Oladiyun, the Senior Pastor of the Christ Livingspring Apostolic Ministry (CLAM), Omole, Lagos, Nigeria, hard work is sacrosanct. “There can be no progress without process. Patience and focus are required for enduring success to take place; we should stop celebrating thieves. I am afraid of overnight success, Pastor Oladiyun said.
Citing Prov 21:27, Pastor Oladiyun, whose ministry will celebrate its 24th year of existence in April, noted that the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord.
“Those who steal should not pay tithes until they repent. Churches must not receive tithes, offerings, and first-fruits from fraudsters”, he added. He charged those who are stealing to stop while referring them to Jeremiah 17:9-11. “I speak as a national prophet. God does not support those who are stealing”.
Pastor Oladiyun reiterated his unshakeable belief in Nigeria and the amazing talents of Nigerians. Using Isaiah 60:18, He assured that God will surely cleanse Nigeria. His words: “So many things are happening all over the world to tarnish the image of Nigeria. Let me assure you that Nigeria is the best country in the world. All these challenges are not peculiar to Nigeria, they are all over the world.
“Serious crimes also happen over the world. We cannot use the acts of a few people to judge Nigeria. Many Nigerians are inventors, innovators, and thought leaders in the leading developed nations of the world. People like Phillip Emeagwali, Dr Oluyinka Olutoye, etc have proved that not all Nigerians are fraudsters.
“The creativity of Nigerians is amazing. We are a wonderful people. A Nigerian’s resilience cannot be broken. I want the whole world to know that not everyone in Nigeria is a thief. I appeal to youths to use their brain and stop indulging in unwholesome practices. Nigeria will surely blossom”, he added.
Pastor Oladiyun admonished Nigerians to handle 2022 with prayers and focus on God, saying it is a year during which monumental events will happen to change the world political and economic order.
“As these events take place all over the world, there will be opportunities for new political and economic actors to emerge and shine. We must all prepare and position for these changes”, he added.
