The Diocesan Bishop of Ijebu South-West, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, The Right Reverend Dr Babatunde Ogunbanwo, has urged the federal government to seek intervention from the international community to tackle banditry and terrorism.
He noted that if these twin problems are not tamed headlong, the nation would continue to wanton in destruction.
Bishop Ogunbanwo stated this while delivering the presidential charge to the First Session of the Sixth Synod of the Diocese with the theme ‘The Baton Of Faith Must Not Drop. Pass It On’, hosted by St Peter’s Anglican Church, Idowa, in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State, on Friday.
The cleric, though commended the effort of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the fight against insurgency, said the federal government should seek assistance where the ‘government cannot competently tackle the problem.’
He stressed the need for government and all security agencies to constantly review strategies for greater improvement in the security situation of the country.
Bishop Ogunbanwo said that various attacks being recorded in some parts of the country were a clear indicator that there is a resurgence and regrouping of insurgency.
The Diocesan Bishop of Ijebu South West, The Right Reverend Dr Babatunde Ogunbanwo in a group picture with the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos, The Most Revd Dr Micheal Olusina Fape; the Chancellor of the Diocese, Justice Jumoke Pedro, the wife of the Bishop, Mrs Olatundun Ogunbanwo; the Chancellor of Kaduna Diocese, Hon Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie; the chairman of the Synod, Otunba Robert Adenaike and bishops from other Dioceses.
The Bishop also addressed the issue of genocide against Christians and other citizens, saying the massacre of Christians and the destruction of some local communities were carried out in the interest of some political and religious entities.
‘In a situation where the government of Nigeria cannot competently tackle the problem, we appeal that the international community should be invited to come to our aid. After all, Nigeria has served in many international peacekeeping forces.
‘President Donald Trump has named our problem and also done the right thing by intervening temporarily. However, we need more intervention from our security personnel so as to save lives and tame the twin problems, since there are elements of criminality and insurgency in what we are suffering in Nigeria, but the barefaced denial of the problem is completely unacceptable.
‘Nigeria is bleeding, and the lives of our citizens are being wasted.’
He emphasised the sanctity of the country, and called for effective policing and protection of lives and property, arguing that such moves would guarantee economic revival and growth.
On the tax system, the Bishop advised the government to protect low-income earners by exempting basic food items and small businesses.
While asking the nation’s economy managers to watch out for the ‘red flags’ that could derail the economy, saying’ the N152 trillion public debt means that nearly 50 percent of the budget revenue will go into debt servicing.’
In his message to the Synod, the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos, The Most Revd Dr Micheal Olusina Fape, described the theme of the Synod as apt.
Fape, who doubles as the Diocesan Bishop of Remo, said there is nothing better than the passing of the baton from one generation to another, in order not to be a disconnect
The Dagburewe of Idowa, Oba Sikiru Kayode Okuribido, identified secularism, moral decline, materialism, and spiritual complacency as some of the distractions facing today’s Church.
He said, ‘These forces are constantly threatening to weaken our grip on the baton. If we are not careful, we risk becoming a generation that holds the baton loosely or worse, drops it entirely.’