It was the third memorial lecture for a Special Apostle for Evangelism, Prophet Gabriel Fakeye on Saturday at Prophet (Gabriel Olubunmi Fakeye Memorial Cathedral on Apapa Oshodi Expressway, OLATUNDE ODEBIYI writes.
To mark the third memorial lecture for a Special Apostle for Evangelism, Prophet Gabriel Fakeye, clerics from the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church and beyond, church members, family and friends gathered on Saturday at the Prophet (Dr.) Gabriel Olubunmi Fakeye Memorial Cathedral on Apapa Oshodi Expressway.
Fakeye was the District Chairman, Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, Surulere District. He was an engineer, a devoted Prophet of God and a person of manifest devotion to family and friends. He was a leader with profound knowledge, grasp and appreciation of history with immense conviction and faith in the unity and greatness of the church. He served the church in several capacities.
With this year’s topic, “The unity of the spirit in the bond of peace – The divine panacea for strong nationhood”, the Chairman/General Leader, Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, Surulere District, Special Apostle Prophet, Sunday Korode said the choice for the topic was centered on Fakeye’s orientation and perspective that Christians have the responsibility as appointed watchmen to pray and stand in the gap for their communities and the nation.
According to him, the topic is imperative and instructive considering the current situation in the country with the ethno-religious bifurcation, implosion and social cataclysm being foisted on the nation by sons of disobedience and agents of instability.
“This lecture is in honour of Fakeye and in remembrance of his powerful trumpet of change in the church. Fakeye was an advocate of the unity of the body of Christ and the nation at large. He left behind an unquestionable legacy of leadership and orderliness. He did not just grow the church here, he worked hard to see the Cherubim and Seraphim united as one-fold under one Shepherd all exhibiting wholesome spiritual practices that edify the name of Jesus Christ.”
Korode decreed that the church is not happy today with the wanton destruction of human lives and properties either for political, economic or religious reasons.
“It is saddening that as a nation, we have suddenly woken up into self-destruction, a time bomb that if not properly and quickly detonated may spell doom for the nation of N180 million inhabitants.”
“Where we are in Nigeria today requires that we consider this topic being talked about. The church must be globally relevant and locally adaptable.”
He added that as a nation, we need to get back to where we started, noting that is the way to get peace.
“Where we began as a nation was that place of peaceful interaction. Civilisation means the ability to be at peace with another person; if we are not at peace with each other in Nigeria, then it means we are not civilised. Our political leaders need to rethink their perspective in leading this nation; they should pick those who will do justice to the affairs of this nation, those that would not be self-centered but people and God centered. We need to come back with a repentant heart as a nation and allow Christ to dwell in us; this would enable us operate at that level of Christ government, which is the government of peace and unity; a government that makes others relevant.
“Our leaders know themselves that they are not leading people, they are only leading selves to perdition. No one is enjoying what this government is doing against the people of this nation. The next group of leaders should start thinking of how to lead the people aright. They must stop their excessive consumption because those elected will determine how they will lead and how they lead will determine what will happen to our nation.”
Korede said the church is not too happy with the number of Christians in government, but noted that is because the water of politics is too dirty for anyone with a proper Christian mind to want to go in.
“What people do in order to be in government, including killing, kidnapping and other ritualistic behaviour is too dirty for a genuine Christian to wish to join the midst of such people considering what the Bible says.
However, he said it was important to note that bearers of light must shine into the darkness and bring about a new birth.
“If we Christians do not step into politics, the the bad people will continue to rule and we will not have the right to challenge them. Let us Christmas get involved and be ready to safe the people.
“All Nigerians have to think and work together, and bring up a strategy that gives everyone an opportunity for expression that would lead to establishing proceedings for relationship and good governance, while also ensuring that we have a blueprint to assist us work through.“
According to him, without planning, strategising and thinking ahead, we cannot achieve peace in Nigeria.
“To have peace also means downplaying your own personal desire and ensuring that we bring in others into our thinking so that others can benefit. If we all come together as one nation, under the law of God and one constitution: we will discover that there will be peace in our nation and we will have progress. If we get back to God we will be able to move from where we are to where we ought to be, because without God, we cannot make progress,” he said.
The guest lecturer, Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, said Nigeria was making efforts to become a nation and move beyond being a nation state.
He addressed the issue of nationhood in international diplomatic practice, focusing attention on the fact that a nation cannot exist if it does not have a government that is effective enough to enforce compliance and internationally practices.
“Only the Federal government can operate with international practises on behalf of Nigerians.”
According to him, the problem of Nigeria is complex and for us to have peace in this nation, we must seek God, because, it is only divine intervention that can change things in Nigeria.
He decried that Nigeria has people who can deliver, but nothing is done to deliver Nigeria from its many problems.
“The world is sick of selfishness and it is not curable except God intervenes. The problem of Nigeria is beyond selfishness. The issue of corruption in Nigeria will continue because those behind it that claim to be fighting corruption are also corrupt; they are the agents of corruption.
He urged the President to sincerely deal with corruption in Nigeria.
“In the political governance in Nigeria, I have come to believe that it does not pay to be honest, patriotic or want to die for Nigeria. This is because when I was the Director General at NIIA, I precisely sough the ways of God and insisted on that, but the system tried to frustrate it; the governing council that was supposed to be on the side of righteousness and holiness were just terrorising and trying to ensure that I did not succeed .
“I left with happiness that I stood by my position and I am still surviving till today, because when I drew the attention of government to corruption while I was in NIIA, nothing was done, this is why I feel that the future is not bright for Nigeria.
“From my experience, the way I have seen governance in Nigeria, where people are consciously on the side of doing the wrong thing, we can only pray to God for divine intervention,” he said.
Vice President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Prof Joseph Otubu, said Fakeye helped to purify the church and made the Cherubim and Seraphim proud.
He described him as a humble man, urging the Cherubim and Seraphim to continue to be pure as the white garment is pure.
He also said the annual lecture should continue in honour of Fakeye for his immense contribution to the body of Christ.
