The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), in its Independence Day message signed by its President, Archbishop Francis Wale Oke, has called for urgent and concerted action to address insecurity, economic hardship, corruption and the growing menace of illicit drugs in the country.
The PFN made the call in its message marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, describing the occasion as both a time to celebrate the country’s achievements and an opportunity for sober reflection on its journey since independence.
In the message, Archbishop Oke congratulated Nigerians on the anniversary and urged citizens to give thanks to God for the progress recorded by the nation while confronting the challenges threatening its development.
“Happy Independence Day. To God’s glory, we mark another year as a people, standing at the crossroads of history,” the message stated.
The PFN urged Nigerians to “lift our voices in thanksgiving for all that God has helped us to achieve and will still help us to achieve, as a nation of many tribes, many tongues, many cultures, united under one flag.”
On insecurity, the fellowship stressed that peace and security remained fundamental to national development, warning that meaningful progress would remain difficult without adequate protection for the lives and property of citizens.
“The peace and security of our nation are vital, for without them, there cannot be any tangible progress,” the message stated.
The PFN called on the Federal Government to intensify the fight against banditry and terrorism and ensure that those behind the financing of such criminal activities are brought to justice.
“We must remove the bandits and terrorists from our forests and bring them and their financiers to justice. The Federal Government must do more and do it now,” it stated.
“The blood of our citizens cries out from the ground, and we cannot remain silent,” the fellowship added.
On the economy, the PFN expressed concern over the hardship confronting Nigerians, noting that the prevailing economic situation was evident in the daily experiences of citizens.
“The worsening economic situation of Nigeria remains deeply worrisome. We do not need reports or indices to tell us this. It is a stark reality staring us in the face,” the message stated.
The fellowship noted that Nigeria’s abundant human and natural resources should be deployed to improve the welfare of the majority of citizens rather than benefit only a few.
“Nigeria is endowed with resources, both human and natural, which should be used to improve the welfare of the generality of the people and not a few elites,” it said.
The PFN also called for legislative and policy reforms capable of creating a more conducive environment for businesses, encouraging industrialisation and improving living standards.
“Existing laws should be reviewed, and new laws should be crafted to make businesses thrive and make an average Nigerian prosper,” the message stated.
It further called for the vigorous pursuit of the “industrialization of the nation” to strengthen productive capacity and improve the standard of living.
On corruption, the fellowship described the menace as a serious threat to democratic governance and national development.
“Corruption is an anathema to democracy, for it undermines the principles of accountability, transparency, and the rule of law upon which democratic governance rests,” it stated.
The PFN described corruption as “a hydra-headed monster which has torn the soul of our nation apart,” saying it had contributed to stalled growth, drained public resources, deepened inequality, weakened public trust and undermined justice.
“Governments at all tiers—whether national, state or local—need to try harder and tackle it head-on and wipe it out so that every Nigerian will enjoy the dividends of democracy,” the fellowship stated.
The message also raised concern over the production and transportation of illicit drugs through Nigeria, particularly the danger posed to young people.
“Most troubling is the danger this poses to our younger generation, the very future of our nation,” it stated.
While acknowledging efforts already made to combat the menace, the PFN called for greater commitment to eliminating illicit drugs from the country and protecting young Nigerians.
“Much has been done, but we must strive harder to remove this evil from our land. We must protect our children, for they are a gift from God, and their destruction is an affront to our future,” the message stated.
The fellowship also appealed for greater national unity, urging Nigerians to rise above ethnic, religious and social differences in the collective effort to build a better country.
“Let us come together at this critical juncture and commit ourselves to building a nation where there will be peace, oneness and love,” it stated.
The PFN called for a Nigeria where “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream,” anchored on faith and the ideals of the nation’s founding fathers.
“Let us stand together, with God as our foundation, to create a Nigeria that will glorify God, that will fulfill the promise of its founding fathers and will become our pride,” the fellowship stated.
The PFN expressed confidence in Nigeria’s capacity to attain greatness but emphasised that such progress required the collective responsibility of citizens and leaders.
“Nigeria can be great again, but we must all play our parts. Nigeria belongs to all of us and its progress is dependent on all of us,” the message stated.
It urged Nigerians to “think, to speak and do only that which will move Nigeria forward and give it accelerated progress.”
The message ended with a prayer for the country: “God bless you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
, in its Independence Day message signed by its President, Archbishop Francis Wale Oke, has called for urgent and concerted action to address insecurity, economic hardship, corruption and the growing menace of illicit drugs in the country.){kind=link}