Bloodletting Is Bad Omen For Nigeria – Okuyelu

President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders in the country have been tasked to urgently put a stop to the shedding of blood of innocent citizens across the country.

Rt.Reverend Ebenezer Okuyelu, Bishop of Osun North-East [Anglican Communion] gave the charge at the 10th anniversary of the inauguration of the Diocese held at the Diocesan Headquarters in Otan-Ayegbaju, Osun state.

According to Bishop Okuyelu, God stated it clearly in the Scriptures that anyone who sheds the blood of the innocent will have his own blood shed in the same manner. “God seriously frowns at the shedding of the blood of innocent people. On the other hand, such bloodletting places a curse on a nation because those murdered in such circumstances usually place a curse on the perpetrators and the nation that allows such a dastardly act to take place.’’ He observed.

The cleric decried the incessant cases of kidnapping, robbery, killings by armed bandits and Fulani herdsmen that have heightened the level of insecurity in the country. “The President and all the leaders must rise to the occasion by finding urgent solutions to the prevalent mindless bloodletting across the country because of its serious spiritual implications for the nation.” He warned.

Okuyelu noted that all efforts by government to reposition the economy and make life more abundant for Nigerians through attracting foreign investors and creating a conducive atmosphere for business to thrive in the country will be fruitless unless the security problem is tackled.

“We are deeply worried that unless our country is safe and secure, no investor will come to establish his business here. It is when we can guarantee security of lives and property that industries can spring up to create millions of jobs that will provide a means of livelihood for our teeming school leavers and graduates who roam our streets daily in search of a job. We pray that God will help our leaders to be conscious of the enormity of the security challenges currently facing the nation.” He said.

On the issue of moral degeneration in society and the role of religion, the cleric heaped much of the blame on the commercialization of religion that is the order of the day now. In his words,

“It is quite unfortunate that we are a nation of people who claim to be very religious but lacks Godly devotion. Today, the whole space is filled with emergency Alfas and Pastors who are motivated by survival instincts. A lot of them falsely profess that God called them and hide under the garb of religion to perpetrate all sorts of unimaginable evil things.” He stated.

Okuyelu further revealed that it is among this, so-called men of God driven by mercantile motive rather than the call to service by God, that you will find persons who “will cajole, hypnotize, and intimidate people for money. It is understandable that they will be desperate because they are in the ministry for what they will eat.” He said.

The Bishop charged religious leaders to ensure that their belly is not the God they serve because they will be accountable to God one day for all their actions.

“It is so sad that religious leaders are not delivering on the mandate of our Lord Jesus Christ who commanded us to spread the gospel to the world. It is important that we pay serious attention to the Gospel and handle it with the utmost fear of God because we shall be held accountable for our actions by God. Today, we are not bringing people to Christ but persuading them to move from one church to another. Is that what the Great Commission by Jesus Christ about? He queried.

He revealed that in the next decade, the Diocese shall be dedicated to the growth in evangelism, spirituality, physical development and church planting. Among dignitaries present at the occasion were: the Most Reverend Bola Ademowo, Dean Emeritus, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion; Rt. Reverend Sunday Adewole, Bishop of Kwara Diocese; Bishop Kehinde Olowokure retd; Prof. Taiwo Olowokure; Oba Olufemi Agunsoye, the Elegboro of Ijebu-Jesa; Rt. Reverend Iwabiolorun Oluyamo, Bishop of Ijesa North Diocese and the chairman of the occasion, Prince Babalola Arojojoye, representatives of the Owa of Otan-Ayegbaju among others.