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Tag: Methodist Church of Nigeria

  • Cleric preaches unity at Synod

    It was another annual Synod, the 31st of its kind, for the Methodist Church of Nigeria (Diocese of Owo) in Ondo State where delegates came from within and outside the state to witness the opening ceremony.

    The theme of the Synod was “Obedience to God Better than Sacrifice”.

    At the occasion, Bishop of Owo Diocese, Methodist Church, Nigeria, Rt. Rev. Solomon Adegbite, canvassed for constitutional democracy in Nigeria.

    He decried a situation where court orders were disregarded; stressing that such development would breed anarchy.

    Rev. Adegbite spoke at the synod held at the Methodist Church, Nigeria, Ehin-ogbe, Owo, Ondo State.

    Delegates from various circuits, special areas and sections within the diocese were in attendance.

    The cleric noted that the act of impunity by political office holders should be discouraged.

    He said: “There is the need for the government, especially at the federal level, to give right orientation to political office holders to behave accordingly.

    He said anti-corruption crusade must not be turned to witch-hunting, saying “if corruption must be fought, it must be across board and not partial or selective”.

    Adegbite pointed out that the kind of attention the trial of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen attracted should be extended to others involved in any corruption-related allegations.

    On Federal Character, the cleric called for absolute respect of the policy.

    “A situation where appointments to political offices are lopsided in favour of a particular tribe and religion is unfair, fairness to all Nigerians is superglue that will keep us together,” he said.

    Adegbite decried the attitude of a section of the country that regards other sections as slaves or second-class citizens, saying that cannot build an egalitarian society for Nigerians to co-exist.

    Commenting on the recent general elections, the cleric said there were still elements of rigging, harassment, vote buying and selling, but  noted that the exercise were generally fair and peaceful in Ondo State.

    He hailed Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for prompt payment of salaries, school renovations and road construction.

    The Diocesan Lay President, Prof. Oladapo Olawoye described the annual Synod as the constitutional meeting of the Diocese with the highest power of the conference to appropriate and set the benchmark for leading the flock of God in line with the laid down rules of the Methodist Church.

    Olawoye noted that the main problem in Nigeria was not lack of money, but failure to manage the resources available.

    The Oloba of Uso, Oba Ademola Oyinbade hailed Bishop Adegbite for the progress in Owo Diocese, even as he urged the entire members of the Methodist Church Nigeria to continue spreading the gospel for the betterment of the country and its people.

  • Methodist Church back’s Buhari’s anti-graft, terrorism wars

    The Methodist Church of Nigeria, Metropolitan Diocese of Ikeja, has said it is satisfied with the Federal Government’s war against corruption and terrorism.

    It encouraged President Muhammadu Buhari “to remain focused, dogged and unwavering.”

    The Diocese stated this on Sunday in a communiqué marking the end of its three-day second annual synod at Elliot Memorial Methodist Church, Iju, Lagos.

    The statement was signed by the Bishop, Metropolitan Diocese of Ikeja, Rt. Revd (Dr.) Stephen Adegbite; Synod Secretary, Very Rev. Simeon Onaleke and Lay President, Frederick Ogunjuboun.

    It urged Buhari to avoid a selective anti-graft war “but a war under which no one is sacred or untouchable, not minding party affiliation or alliance.”

    The synod admonished the Legislature and Judiciary to complement Buhari’s efforts.

    “No arm of government should be seen to be mounting a stumbling block against concerted efforts geared towards winning this war,” it said.

    The synod noted “with joy” that the Boko Haram “has been severely decimated and its capabilities totally reduced.”

    It called for better cooperation in the intelligence community, “so that planned attacks can be nipped in the bud before they are carried out as it was the case in Dapchi, Yobe State, North East, Nigeria.”

    Synod also thanked the governments of Switzerland, the United States of America (USA), Great Britain, France and Belgium and the Red Cross for their efforts in securing the release of 101 of the kidnapped Dapchi girls.

    “Synod calls on everyone to continue to pray for the unconditional release of Leah Sharibu who is still being held because of her refusal to denounce her faith and others including the Chibok girls yet to be released,” it said.

    The church also commended Buhari’s emphasis on food security which, in its view, had boosted rice production to 17 million metric tons per annum from 5.7 million metric tons which it was in 2015.

    It, however, lamented the non-passage of the 2018 Budget and “epileptic” power supply in the country.

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, it said, had made “giant strides” especially in infrastructural development.

    The church congratulated Ambode for “the peace that continues to reign in state despite the religious, cultural and social diverseness of Lagos residents.”

    In particular, it noted the governor’s efforts to stop the notorious “Badoo Cult Group that terrorised the Ikorodu community.”

    It, however, appealed for the downward review of the recently increased Land Use Charge.

    The church also condemned hate speech, herdsmen attacks and cattle rustling menace, calling on the Federal Government to act fast on a solution.

    It added: “Synod regrets the pockets of agitation from across the country, from the Avengers, Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), coupled with the assertion of rights by Ijaw People’s Congress, Oo’dua People’s Congress (OPC), Arewa Youth Congress and Consultative Forum, etc.”

  • Cleric chides Buhari over Gadaffi statement

    The Bishop of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Lagos Mainland Diocese, Rt Rev. (Dr) Ayo Olawuyi, has berated President Muhammadu Buhari over his statement that links the late Libyan president Muammar Gadaffi with the rampaging killers herdsmen in some parts of Nigeria.

    He spoke to press men in Lagos yesterday during the Diocese’s 24th Annual Synod.

    The cleric said the statement of President Buhari that the gunmmen trained by late Gadaffi migrated to Nigeria after Gadaffi’s death, is not tenable.

    President Buhari during the week while playing host to the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in Abuja House London, linked the killer herdsmen with gunmen trained by Muammar Gadaffi.

    Olawuyi said the president has implicated himself that he cannot provide security for his citizens as a Chief Security Officer by allowing senseless killings in his country.

    Speaking on the theme of the synod, ‘Strive for Peace and Holiness’, the cleric urged Nigerians to embrace peace and tolerance with others which he described as excense of human existence that guarantees unity and progress.

    The cleric said the self-defence call made by a former minister of Defence, Gen. T Y Danjuma, is not wrong provided such self-defence does not lead to taking another person’s life.

    He tasked Nigerians to defend themselves with intelligence, constitution and through the court of law, the sanctity of which must not be compromised for selfish gain.

    “I don’t understand what the president was saying, as a Chief Security Officer of Nigeria, why is this unnecessary killings happening in his country? Why should our borders be left porous, where are the immigration officials?”

    “Looking at all sorts of evils happening in our land, the insurgence in the north east, the roving killer herdsmen, kidnapping and even corruption that has been a big monster in Nigeria, the theme for this synod has to be raised”.

    “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, people  should begin to live the lives that pleased God. If we fear God, we will run away from all appearances of evil like corruption, shedding of innocent blood, self centredness and our leaders will not feel that Nigeria is in their possession”, he preached.

  • Group advocates for pride of place for Yoruba language

    The Yoruba Studies Association of Nigeria (YSAN) has reiterated the need to upgrade the functionality of Yoruba language, so as to ensure it takes its pride of place amidst other languages, now that the social media rules the world.

    Professor Oluyemisi Adebowale, the National President of YSAN stated this while delivering her welcome address at the Association’s 2016 National Conference, held at at Afe Babalola hall, University of Lagos with the theme: ‘Yoruba Society and The New Media’.

    According to the scholar who doubles as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Adekunle Ajasin University, the protection of speaking, writing and culture of the Yoruba people is so germane.

    She also raised the eyebrow on the dressing malaise amidst the Yoruba youths, stating that nudity is averse to Yoruba culture and language.

    “We want to promote it amongst scholars and sensitize the citizenry to know what obtains in the global village”.

    She noted that “the greatest challenge is the loss of interest for the speaking and identifying with the language, governments also are not helping the matters.

    “Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo languages used to be compulsory at the senior secondary level, but things and policies have changed, it is no longer compulsory and so the number of students, candidates offering this language have reduced drastically.

    ” It pains us because it is also affecting the institutions because the number of applicants for the language is decreasing and we are not happy about that, we have made efforts on this, even to the Minister’s table, but we were not taken seriously for it was only the Yoruba scholars angling for it, we are looking at merging force with the Igbo language president and Hausa to put up a strong paper for consideration by government for a review”.

    Professor Rahaman Ade Bello, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, who was represented by his Deputy Professor Duro Oni noted that using the Yoruba language and the other Nigerian languages as the medium of teaching and impacting knowledge is quite beneficial to the wards’ academic future.

    “Let’s start teaching the little children in the Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa languages once they start going to school, it is language they ought to be taught with, those taught that way will excel, the rhymes in Yoruba encouraged academics, we need to resuscitate this.

    “Even when you teach them English language, using Yoruba as the medium of expression like Professor Babs Fafunwa and Ayo Banjo have proven to us the efficacy of that method, the products do much better. The culture of learning  one other language aside their language must be restored in our policy”.

    The chairman of the committee of the conference, Prof. Oladipo Ajiboye, called all  those stakeholders on the need to ensure our children speak, understand and write Yoruba for even development.

    Engineer Haruna Ishola Bako, the Baale of Shibiri Oto Awori LCDA, was quick to add that scholars and stakeholders should rally round and ensure that the Yoruba language and culture is not destroyed.

    The keynote speaker at the event, Most Rev. Ayo Ladigbolu, Arch Bishop, Methodist Church of Nigeria, a retired cleric stated that the world is now a global village.

    “We must be able to communicate not only with our immediate neighbours but our next door neighbour in America, Haiti, Australian, Ghana and wherever human beings are found and the language of new media is the language of computer, website, whatsap, Facebook and YouTube, we must learn and use those languages to communicate our culture, ideals, desires as well as our projections for  future.

    “There is the need to produce materials in Yoruba language in the new media for them to be interested so that we won’t be left behind. All languages in Nigeria should embrace it so that you can gain from the benefit”, Ladigbolu said.

  • 2015: Transform Nigeria first, Makinde tells politicians

    The out-going Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr Ola Makinde, has appealed to politicians and government officials to concentrate on transforming the nation instead of being distracted by the 2015 general elections.

    He said that strategising for the elections at the expense of governance is a great disservice to the nation and the masses.

    Makinde pointed out that most of the tension across the land is related to the forthcoming elections.

    He spoke last week at the 25th anniversary and building dedication of Estate Methodist Church, Oke Afa.

    Makinde said: “Today, everything is about 2015. No more governance or provision of infrastructure. Our leaders are so engrossed with regaining power that they have even forgotten they are supposed to change this country.”

    He pointed out that unemployment, insecurity, poverty and poor infrastructure are issues requiring urgent attention, lamenting they are, however, overshadowed by politicking.

    According to him: “Campaigning is good, but leaders must deliver on their electioneering promises first. They have to fix this country.”

    He canvassed for prayers ahead of the general elections so that it will not consume the nation.

    The chairman of the 25th anniversary and church dedication committee, Akintunde Akinmade, said strong faith in God and determination delivered the edifice.

    He recalled that three families began worshiping in the church with only a canopy, expressing joy that it has become a cathedral.