By Emeagi Emeka Williams
AT a recent conference held in Lagos, the Mothers of the Nations, through their Heal, Empower, Love and Promote (H.E.L.P) Nigeria Initiative, have asked Nigerians to eschew violence, bitterness and all hatred – induced bickering in order to live in harmony.
The Nigerian ecclesiastical women who gathered at the Rock view Hotel, Festac Town conference hall, were moved by the spate of viciousness, killings, religious bigotry and devastating divisive politics that have torn Nigeria to shreds.
Various women of faith from diverse denominations, youth leaders, select men of faith and members of the fourth estate of the realm were part of the gathering designed by M.O.N to contribute a reasonable quota towards finding a lasting panacea to the lingering national crises bedeviling peace and progress of Nigeria.
The President of the group and convener, Bishop Dr.Priscilla Otuya, while presenting an extensive tear-stained speech hinted that Nigeria has no business being in turmoil if her citizens embody love for brethren or compatriots.
Otuya particularly pointed that the Christians and various families have failed in their responsibilities to ensure that the principles of love, patriotism and lawful tendencies are inculcated, a reason she said that the Nigerian society has become a bed of crises.
On the factor of religion, Bishop Otuya who spoke while quoting several scriptures, urged Nigerian Christians and Moslems to stop dividing and conflagrating the nation along unnecessary religion lines, stressing that God Almighty is neither a christian nor a moslem, neither Islam nor Christianity.
Vexed by the spate of religious violence currently dissecting the nationalities, Otuya affirmed that Christianity and Islam are man made, asserting that God’s religion or faith is righteousness.
“If Nigerians love themselves, no one will allow a politician to lure him to kill another, no one will imbibe evil ways that will harm others.
” Everyone keeps pointing fingers at the president or one leader up there while leaving the huge logs in their various eyes. The peace and change we seek must begin with us.
“The laws of God about love, peace and righteousness affect all creations or mankind, so why are we setting them aside to war and kill each other”, she quizzed.
Continuing, Otuya said that all Nigerians must come together in peace, and seek ways to restore our fast smouldering world, advising that we have no other nation, and that Africa is a land of hope that will metamorphose into a first world continent, the reason she said her people in Nigeria and everywhere should not give room for internal and external influences aimed at degrading or destroying our space.
A legal practioner and one of the select male church leaders who joined the mothers at the great peace conference, Pastor Ben Umelechukwu, when addressing the gathering appreciated the women for taking steps to speak the truth in the interest of peace and unity.
According to him, those speaking and clamoring for the balkanization of the Nigerian state will fail, adding that God who allowed amalgamation knew that Nigerians can be great together.
He urged Christians especially to show the rest of the country that love will conquer hatred.
He said that the exemplary goodness of a true christian is enough evangelism which can change and correct anyone.
About the recent remark of a renowned preacher who recently told Nigerians to have a plan ‘B’, Umelechukwu noted that while that preacher has his right of opinion, it is unpatriotic to talk of a plan B when the impending doom can be arrested with love, truth and righteousness as the word of God implies.
He therefore sued for peace and prayed that God almighty will grant Nigeria the lasting peace that will make her prosper again.
Anthony Abakporo, President, United Breeds, a unique nongovernmental organisation, with a bias for rescuing and empowering derailing Nigerian youths, added when he took the podium, that the Mothers of the Nations, MON have demonstrated a contagious courage and faith, which will go a long way to influence other Nigerian mothers to discard their fears this crucial era.
While also suing for peace Abakporo noted that when women decide to lead the crusade for peace in Nigeria, then peace is imminent.
Most of the women who spoke in tandem with the submissions of earlier speakers, went nostalgic, wondering what brought Nigeria to the deadly point where she now is.
