The Christian Association of Nigeria Gombe State Chairman; Rev. Fr. Joseph Shinga, on Sunday lamented untold hardship faced by citizens.
Shinga itemised the challenges to include cost of transportation, hunger, poverty, adding that the people must unite with hope.
The CAN chairman made these remarks at Evangelical Church Winning All Gospel Gombe State, during the commemoration of the country’s 64th independence and the state’s 28th celebrations.
Shinga said, “Some of us who used to have little money, there is no more money. People are finding things too difficult; transportation is a problem, to feed is challenging. The people are suffering.”
While restating commitment to supporting leaders, Shinga urged for prayers and hope, “We are praying for you as leaders and we are telling our people to be patient, to be hopeful, prayerful to see what our leaders will eventually do for us. I congratulate all of us,”he added.
On his part, Gombe Deputy Governor; Dr Manassah Jatau, noted that the current hardship is a matter of time, “but sometimes we don’t understand. When you open your bible you will see Lamentation, Revelation, Acts of the apostles and Exodus. The only thing i will tell you now is to depend on God because precisely that is what we are told because already the bible told us what about what is to come so what is our complaints? Is for us to hold on to reading the word of God and hold God tight anytime that there is temptation we should see it as test of Faith,” he said.
While soliciting support for leaders Jatau added, “Our prayer request from you is to pray for Nigeria and it’s unity anybody that says there must be division he doesn’t know where Nigeria started from. During the time of Abiola, myself and others usually buy cows at the rate of N30,000 and the Easterners buy it at N200,000 that is to tell you that we are all important to each other that’s why i want you to pray for us to continue living in peace and unity. Please, when i request for prayers for leaders is not just the political leaders but whosoever is a leader. Even if you don’t like political leaders the bible says pray for your enemies.”
Also speaking, Chairman of Kaltungo Local Government Area; Iliya Suleiman, called on the people to pray for leaders, “We should support our leaders with prayers. On my own end as a local government chairman to do my best to bring development,” he added.
Clergy in charge of ECWA Rev. Andrew Yusuf, emphasised the essence of prayers in ensuring prosperity, “God wants us to pray for government of the day. We have countries that didn’t get to 64 years and have disintegrated.”
