Ensue peace as elections approach, Anglican Bishop charges Nigerians

The Bishop of Ibadan Anglican Diocese, Most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa, on Monday urged the Church and Nigerians to keep their peace and not to lose hope at the approach of the 2023 elections.

Akinfenwa gave the advice in his pastoral message to the Church and to country in Ibadan where he noted that the past few weeks had been quite traumatic for most Nigerians.

He blamed the trauma on fuel and cash scarcity.

“In several places nationwide, the frustration has boiled over, and outbreaks of violence have been the consequence.

“As we approach general elections, however, we hereby appeal to all Nigerians to please remain calm in the face of all provocations.

“As a people, we have been through a lot in times past, and we have always proven ourselves to be a very resilient people. Time has come for us to demonstrate that resilience once again.

“Let us encourage one another to eschew violence, to keep the peace, and to resist every machination or manipulation to incite upheaval so that the general elections would not hold.

“In the face of widespread deprivation of cash, let us resort to our native communality and generosity; and at least for these few days let us reenact Acts 2:44-47 and Acts 4:32,’’ he stated.

44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.

47 Praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved.

Acts 4:32 states: All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.

“Let us share with one another out of the little that we have, and ensure that extreme hunger and or frustration does not tip our neighbours over,’’ Akinfenwa added. He advised that rather than allowing on-going adversity to incite us against one another, Nigerians should bond together in love across ethnic and religious boundaries, focusing on supporting one another to overcome the adversity.

Vote Obi for youth, sports development

The Ibadan Anglican Bishop recalled periods in Nigeria’s history when agents of evil exploited Nigerians vulnerability to set them against one another, to set back the nation, and to truncate the will of the people.

“Do not let us allow them this time around. As a people, let us unite to say no to provocation and incitement, and to insist on peaceful change and democratic transition according to civilised norms.

“On account of this, let us by all means remain peaceful and law-abiding, while trusting that government shall keep faith with the election timetable.

“When we go to the polls on Feb. 25 and March 11, let us vote according to the dictates of our conscience, and in tandem with our collective desire for a better Nigeria.

Rojenny Stadium MD urges sports enthusiasts

Rommy Ezeonwuka, the Managing Director of Rojenny Stadium and Games Village, Oba in Idemili South LGA of Anambra has urged sports loving Nigerians to vote massively for Mr Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party.

Ezeonwuka, in a statement made available in Awka on Monday, said Nigerians should vote Obi in the interest of the nation’s talented youths and of the growth of the sports sector.

He said Peter Obi’s contributions to the sports sector both as a governor of Anambra and a private citizen had remained uncelebrated.

Ezeonwuka said Obi not only built sports infrastructure in Anambra but was the first governor to visit Rojenny Stadium and approved grant for upgrading of the facilities at the stadium.

According to him, when Peter Obi came to Rojenny he said that the person who invested such an amount of his personal money on sports facility should be recognised as one of the highest developers of Nigeria youth talents.

“Peter Obi loves sports, he represents the best interest of sports among all the candidates, so as an authority in the development of sports in Nigeria, I endorse him and call on all lovers of sports to vote massively for him.

“As a governor, Peter Obi built two mini stadiums, the Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium and Godwin Achebe stadium from scratch at a time when Anambra did not have a playground not to talk of stadium.

“He went further to commence the Awka Township Stadium and built it to a point before leaving office.

“Under Peter Obi, school sports and state sports festivals were regular and a lot of talented athletes were discovered,” he said.

Ezeonwuka said that if well developed, the sports sector could be used to create wealth opportunities as the United States of America, Jamaica and Brazil had done for their youth.

He said Nigeria needed a president who would give priority to sports as an