Some Christian leaders are set to commence a 40-day fasting and prayer period, preceded by a National Solemn Assembly—a day dedicated to praising and praying to God for Nigeria.
Against this backdrop, the church leaders inaugurated the National Solemn Assembly (NaSA) on Tuesday, chaired by Archbishop Leonard Kawas, General Overseer of the World Harvest Ministry.
Addressing journalists during the Committee’s inauguration, Archbishop Kawas urged all Nigerians, especially Christians from all walks of life, to actively participate in the fasting and the one-day intensive prayers for the nation.
He stated that the fast would conclude on November 30, 2023, a day before the solemn assembly.
He explained that NaSA was a vision vetted by church leaders from different denominations in Nigeria, working in collaboration with Christian organisations and groups to gather and pray for peace and progress in the country.
He said, “We looked at the present conditions of our country and felt there was a need for us to come together and thank God, praise God, and worship God in appreciation of what he has done for us.
“There have been a lot of prophecies of doom right from the time the campaign began that Nigeria will burn and Nigeria will disintegrate, but God Almighty kept us together in peace, in unity, in harmony, and took us through the election safely, and now we have a government that has been formed under the leadership of our able president, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his vice, Sen. Kashim Shettima.
“By the grace of God, we as church leaders are duty-bound by the word of the Lord to pray and support any government of the day, and as of today, we have a government in place.
He stated that the fast would conclude on November 30, 2023, a day before the solemn assembly.
He explained that NaSA was a vision vetted by church leaders from different denominations in Nigeria, working in collaboration with Christian organisations and groups to gather and pray for peace and progress in the country.
He said, “We looked at the present conditions of our country and felt there was a need for us to come together and thank God, praise God, and worship God in appreciation of what he has done for us.
“There have been a lot of prophecies of doom right from the time the campaign began that Nigeria will burn and Nigeria will disintegrate, but God Almighty kept us together in peace, in unity, in harmony, and took us through the election safely, and now we have a government that has been formed under the leadership of our able president, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his vice, Sen. Kashim Shettima.
“By the grace of God, we as church leaders are duty-bound by the word of the Lord to pray and support any government of the day, and as of today, we have a government in place.
Furthermore, the clergyman commended President Tinubu for disappointing the expectations of many who predicted that a Muslim/Muslim ticket would tear the country apart by ensuring a balance in the appointment of both Christians and Muslims into political appointments.
“One of the things creating tension during the last electioneering period was the fact that many Christians in Nigeria were so scared of the idea of a Muslim/Muslim ticket.
It brought a lot of fear, but as God will have it, that fear has been removed from us; the president and his vice president have demonstrated nothing but balance in the kind of political appointments that they have made.
“We have seen that nobody can cry of marginalisation because Muslims have gotten their fair share, and Christians have also gotten their fair share, and so this is one of the reasons why we must thank God because some people thought that a Muslim/Muslim ticket would Islamise Nigeria, but there is no sign whatsoever to show that was the intent, especially as they began the political appointment, so this is one area that we must come together to thank God and pray.”
“We, this committee of church leaders that are saddled with the vision and responsibility to organise the National Solemn Assembly, after today’s inauguration, are swinging into action to begin to plan and execute.
