NEW YEAR MESSAGE
As we stand at the portal of the New Year and cast a glance around we recognize that there is a great deal to thank God for as individuals, as a Nation and as the Church of God. We must thank God for our lives as individuals, for collective peace and giant strides at various levels of national endeavour evidenced by an atmosphere of calm in our industrial sector the academic institutions and in religious affairs. In the Christian Church, the various denominations: the Anglican Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Aladura Church, the Methodist Church are providing leadership for the continent of Africa and are also carrying increased responsibility within the Church universal.
There is also in the same breadth a lot to hope for in the year ahead. The successful implementation of the ongoing reform holds the promise of a better and sound economic future whilst the political reform which consolidates the interdependent nature of our diverse make-up as a nation will make for a more peaceful environment with election rigging becoming a punishable crime!
We must also quickly register our utmost displeasure with and condemnation of the ongoing raving madness in the political arena. The unfolding scenario is disgusting, and most disturbing and certainly most unnecessary. It is a great concern to all people and the nation at large.
The feverish warming up to 2007 elections which preoccupies the political class to the utter exclusion of anything and everything is not only dangerous but counter productive. Many are wont to count their chickens before the egg is hatched, playing god and behaving as if tomorrow is in their hands.
Rather than concentrating on effective management of State, there is consumed preoccupation with the race for 2007 forgetting the wise words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 9:11 “the race is not for the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favour to the skilful …”
There is need to warn all people to stop playing god as our tomorrow is in God’s hand and in the words of James 4:14 & 15, “…yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say “if the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that”.
In this New Year, 2005, let us all concentrate our best efforts and talents at dealing with the issues at hand, namely: good governance – political tolerance, provision and adequate maintenance of all essential infrastructure, the need to radiate love of God, to ensure that justice, equity and harmony prevail and taking care of the less privileged.
We remind our politicians that the assurance is there that if they govern well today and perform their assigned responsibilities creditably, their achievements will speak in glorious terms for them tomorrow.
We must never forget that we are here only temporarily and as we come into the New Year, we are reminded “we are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes …” Let us not allow our temporary sojourn here on earth to deny us of eternity with God. As we journey on, we want to make sure that NOTHING in all the world, politics, power, money, vaulting ambition etc. will hinder our goal to make heaven.
I wish you all a fruitful positive and peaceful New Year.
The Most Rev. Peter J. Akinola, CON., DD.,
Primate of All Nigeria and the National President of
the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)
