Tread path of peace, Anglican Primate advises Nigerians

Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, the Primate of all Nigeria (Anglican Communion), has advised Nigerians to tread the path of peace and shun all acts of violence, especially as the nation prepares for general election in 2015.
Okoh gave the advice on Wednesday in Abuja at a special New Year service at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life Camp.
He said Nigerians should continue to have confidence in God, in spite of the challenges experienced in the previous years.
Okoh noted that there were a lot of unpleasant comments going round and against the progress of the country and said that Nigerians should have confidence in God because “God has always rescued us in times of difficulties and anxieties”.
Okoh added: “We know that as we go towards 2015 tension will continue to rise but in the end no evil will befall Nigeria.
“Nigeria will not only continue but it will be strong and grow better and powerful.
“We want our people to relax and they should not cooperate with people who have evil intentions because in most cases such people have nothing but selfish ambitions.
“Nigerians should look forward with confidence because God is in charge.”
Okoh urged Nigerians to brace for the times ahead, especially as the nation prepares for general election, noting that God would at the appropriate time manifest His authority.
On governance in the New Year, the primate urged government at all levels to do everything to provide more jobs for the teeming population of unemployed youths.
Okoh said: “My advice to the government in the New Year is for it to provide more opportunities for employment.
“We want our young people to be more fruitful in 2014.
“The young people should have the opportunity to contribute to the development of our country.
“The improvement I want to see cuts across the different sectors because we need progress in virtually every sector of our economy.”
The primate called on trade unions that had plans to embark on industrial actions in the New Year to try to resolve their industrial disputes through dialogue rather than embark on strike.
He appealed to union leaders to put the nation’s interest above personal or sectional interest in the New Year and urged the Federal Government to listen to the unionists as they seek to improve the conditions of service of their members.
Okoh appealed to both employers and employees to do their level best to ensure that the country experienced industrial peace and harmony in 2014.
He said that a situation where workers and employers in the various sectors of the economy “are engaged in dispute, will not be helpful for the country”.
The primate urged leaders across different spheres to teach their followers only those things that would be beneficial to the society.
He said that successes that would be recorded in 2014 would depend on the choices made by both the leaders and the followers.
The service was attended by the clergy and Anglican faithful in the Abuja diocese.