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In the face of current security challenges in the country, religious clerics in both Islamic and Christian faiths in Kwara state have unanimously said that the country needs deliverance, saying Nigeria is sick.
In their separate sermons during interfaith prayer session to commence 2020 Press Week of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Friday, the clerics enjoined Nigerians to intensify prayers against ugly occurrence in the nation.
The prayer session held in the Chapel Secretariat was led by Pastor Adesina Adegbite of the Living Faith Church, aka Winners chapel, Gaa Imam, Ilorin and Alfa Adebayo Abdulkarim of the Markaz, Oke Agodi, Ilorin.
In his sermon at the occasion, Pastor Adegbite said that individual Nigerians are part of the nation’s problems, be it knowingly and unknowingly, in the way leaders are elected.
“Nigeria is sick. Whether we like it or not, that’s the truth. The nation needs prayers. With our prayers, God will heal the land, deliver it and protect the people. However, we are also part of Nigeria’s problems, knowingly or knowingly. We should be mindful of how we choose our leaders and the leaders we choose to lead us”, he said.
Pastor Adegbite, who is also academic staff of the Department of Performing Arts, University of Ilorin, enjoined Nigeria journalists to help the nation against violence, saying that media practitioners should be mindful of national interest.
“Journalism profession is risky and is one of the most abused professions. That’s the truth. It’s just like the teaching profession in the country. There you have Irregular salary, non payment at times, no money to take care of your medical bills. This should change.
“Journalism profession is endangered and the need for practitioners to be careful and seek God’s guidance at all times. God has told us that if we are humble, He will forgive our sins and heal the land. We should seek forgiveness among ourselves as individuals and our leaders.
Also speaking, Mallam Adebayo Abdulkarim, who corroborated the fact that Nigeria is sick, added that Nigeria youth needs right education from home and schools.
The Islamic cleric also said that the nation needs responsible journalism to lead people in the right direction.
“Nigerians have right to protest. It’s even allowed in the Quran. If you’re being cheated or dissatisfied, you can protest, but one should not do it with hatred in mind.
“Nigerians have right to protest against police brutality but it should not be towards disruption of societal peace or destruction of property, killing police, burning police station because demonstration is a mini war.Our children were given wrong education on the protest”, he said.
The annual week celebration of the NUJ Correspondents chapel will also feature lecture that would be delivered by a legal icon, Mallam Yusuf Olaolu Ali SAN, titled, Effectiveness of party supremacy in strengthening democratic principles and promoting national development.
Also, another key note Speaker, the chairman, Federal Character Commission, Abuja, Alhaja Muyiba Farida Dankaka, would speak on the topic, Enhancing National Unity Through Federal Character Principle
Other programmes in the celebration include health talk by members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in the state.
According to the committee, the health talk would afford the media practitioners steps to take to manage stress associated with the profession or live stress-free life.
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