Leaders of the Organization of African Instituted Churches have stressed need for unity to move the Christian body to higher pedestal.
In separate interviews with newsmen during the 2nd Quarter General Assembly and inauguration of the North Central and Kwara State executive officers, held at the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Movement Headquarter, Ilorin on Thursday, they described unity as essential ingredient for development and sustenance of the organisation.
The Coordinator, Northern States of OAIC, Bishop Raphael Nwankwo, emphasised importance of dialogue in resolving issues and fostering peace and unity, adding that violence should not be an option for solution.
Nwankwo said: “Even Jesus Christ while on earth used dialogue and persuasion because there is no how you can satisfy everybody. With dialogue you can achieve what cannot be achieved with gun.”
He then admonished Christians to show God’s love to others in order to make the world a better place for all to live, urging them to shun hatred and violence.
“Christians should stick to love because hatred is too much burden to bear. Christians should reduce enmity and show love for sake of peace,” the bishop further said.
In the same vein, the new Chairman, North Central, Primate Martins Sunday Olobatoke said love had been the binding force of OAIC, assuring that he would use his office to promote unity among members.
“There’s unity in OAIC and we are a great family. In Kwara CAN, we are a bloc to reckon with. We will try to maintain this and I pray that God will help me to live up to expectation.”
Similarly, the newly inaugurated Chairman, Kwara State OAIC, Pastor Ademola Popoola, stated that fairness and equity has been watchword of leadership of the organization.
He said compromises and sacrifices had been made to ensure equity, adding that the leadership will continue to guard against marginalisation of any section of OAIC in the state.
On his agenda, Popoola pledged to build a community of people who will serve God and humanity while urging Christians to respect constituted authority.
He advised them to remain focused on God for solution to the myriad of problems confronting the country, particularly the economic recession.
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria has lauded the inauguration of the new leadership of OAIC at the state and regional level.
The chairman, Professor Timothy Opoola, said that Olobatoke deserved the office given is contributions to the organisation while serving in various capacities.
He then charged him to preach unity because of the challenges facing the church presently, just as he called for support for the new executives as they begin their assignments.
The Chairman, Women Wing of CAN, Prophetess Bose Adimubua, expressed optimism that the new leadership of the OAIC will live up to expectation.
She tasked the new excos to focus youth, women and children development as well as be change agents in the country.
Adimubua said: “I will advised that they organised seminars and retreats for youths geared towards their development and be in the vanguard of the campaign against women and child molestation.”
Highlight of the programme, was the inauguration of the Northern Central Main Body, Women Wing and youth department and Kwara officers by Bishop Nwankwo and Primate Olobatoke respectively.