*pray for the reinvention of leadership in Nigeria
*ask God for a peaceful and transparent election.
By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
As the 2023 general elections are around the corner, the Government of Cross River by the instruction of Governor Ben Ayade has sponsored over 79 indigenes of the state to go and pray In Israel for the state, and Nigeria
The people were urged to allow all their spirit, soul, and body, pray for Nigeria, the state of Cross River for the spirit of leadership to fall on God’s anointed leaders for a better nation.
The 79 Cross Riverians rent out their hearts in prayers for a better Nigeria they yearn to see God producing good leaders.
Their experiences in many parts of the countries of Jordan, Israel, and the Philistines they had suggested that the countries developed out of seemingly desert areas, but were able to conquer their challenges and became major exporters of agricultural products, and human power to many countries.
They have prayed for good leadership and asked God to recreate a Nigeria where leaders and followers will be patriotic, discarding religion, ethnic and regional beliefs and building a Nigeria for the common good of all.
Most of them are government officials who went to the holy land with a specific instruction to pray for Cross River State, Nigeria, and the 2023 general election that is around the corner.
Head of the delegation who was mandated by the governor of the state, High Chief Higgins Peters while telling his experiences to our correspondent, said the spiritual journey was refreshing and rewarding, a worthwhile experience that has to reawaken the people of Cross River with huge spiritual implications to Nigeria.
According to him, even though they have come to pray for their state for God’s intervention, especially as the country has scheduled another round of elections in the coming month. At this time Nigeria is facing all sort of challenges including insecurity.
He said as they all toured the lands of Jordan and Israel and visited holy sites where God’s promises to his people were fulfilled he has no doubt God will also answer their prayers for the sake of Nigerians.
Higgins said it is a hopeful expectation that the Israel and Jordan of desert lands that were turned into world’s blessings, shall no doubt be extended to Nigeria in 2023.
“While we are in search of salvation in our daily lives, the journey became a fulfilling one. We desire peace for our nation, hoping the pilgrimage will translate into Nigeria’s peaceful and transparent election that will culminate into development.
“Nigerians are yearning for a peaceful election, good leaders that will transform the country into the hub of technology, a major exporter of not only crude oil but agriculture products, human experts because nothing the world needs that we don’t have in our nation.
“I’m hoping that our pilgrimage in 2023 will reflect in the coming election as we have prayed for our leaders, prayed for God to give us good leaders as we begin to put our actions into faith because for us to get it right, we must take deliberate steps to move forward as a nation,” Haggis said
A critical stakeholder who was a former Speaker and the current Commissioner of Works, Rt Hon Dane Osim’as said the patriotic nature of Israelis and Jordanians was what made them to build a country of their dreams.
He said Nigeria becoming a great nation is possible, considering the many mineral resources that abound in every geopolitical zone of the country.
According to him, Nigeria is not a barren land compared to the three visited countries (Israel, Jordan, and Philistine), where on more than half of their land, nothing grows.
He envisaged that with good leadership, Nigeria can be one of the best countries in the world, exporting almost everything to the international market.
Osim’as prayed that God should be merciful to Nigerians and liberate the country from the shackles of underdevelopment, religious bigotry, and ethnic dominance.
He also called on Nigerians to leverage in the coming February elections and elect leaders that will change the course of the nation.
Another critical stakeholder who followed the delegation to pray for Nigeria was Dr. Ochim Julius Okputu, who was shocked how a desert was turned into a wonderland, considering that they didn’t have a quarter of what Nigeria has.
He expressed worries over Nigeria’s lack of focus and good vision, despite having many mineral resources that nations are in need of.
Okputu asked questions about where Nigerians have missed it all in the journey of nationhood and building a country generations yet unborn can be proud of.
According to Okputu, leadership must reinvent itself with what he saw in the Holy Lands.
He worried that Nigerians are lazy over the gift of nature as mineral resources the world needs cannot be properly harnessed and developed.
Okputu revealed that the hard-working nature of the Arabs and Jews has made them conquer poverty, turned deserts into fertile lands, and invested in human capital for thorough development.
He however, said that the transition process after the February, and March polls will give birth to a new Nigeria as their prayers are routed o to God for intervention.
To him, their visit allowed them to have a balanced view between the spiritual, tourism, environment and agriculture.
He said the development in Israel is a reinvention of leadership against the odds of difficult terrains and bad environment, an idea that Nigeria must adapt to have a prosperous nation.
“Hard work and patriotism are what broke the camel’s back for these nations. Life is not about prayers without putting them into practice. Nigerians should begin to think that faith without work is dead.
“We have prayed for the things that are desirable for our nation. We have prayed for the hand of God to rest on Nigeria for good things to begin to happen. This I believe it will be in no distance time.” Ochim said
Commissioner for Transport and Marine Services, Hon Prince Aqua Edet Aqua harped on the government and Nigerians to begin to take responsibility, not putting things in the hand of God for a miracle to happen.
He said the Israelites and the Arabs took deliberate and decisive steps to change the course of their story, not God.
He therefore, called on Nigerians to shun all sorts of primordial sentiments and unite for the total development of the nation that is far from the reach of modern development.
He enjoined Nigerians, especially the people of Cross River to go for leaders that will change the direction of the country for a promising destiny.
