The Christian Intercessors Department (CID) of the Joint Faith Peace Initiative (JFPI), in collaboration with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has concluded plans to organise a 72-hour marathon prayer and fasting seeking for divine intervention in Nigeria.
The programme with the theme, “God Remember Nigeria in Mercy” is designed to create a conducive spiritual atmosphere to provoke supernatural intervention in Nigeria.
Coordinator of the initiative, Dr Liberty Okon disclosed this while delivering his address during the National Advisory Board and National Planning Committee for the programme.
Okon explained that the Christian body decided to organise the marathon fasting and prayers because Nigeria has consistently passed through thick and thin in her nationhood.
“On the security front, the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast, upsurge in banditry and kidnapping, heinous crimes and criminality, militancy in the Niger Delta region are biting hard on the nation’s security and infrastructure, to mention but a few.
“In addition, the sustained negative impact of the civil war in the South East has not abated, it has given birth to groups such as IPOB and other forms of youth restiveness. On the economic front, corruption which gives birth to poverty is at an alarming rate, the dip in the naira, inflation, and low productivity are ravaging the landscape of our precious nation.
“On the social side of the aisle, consistent ethno-religious crisis, violence against women at the home front, and poor upbringing of our children are on the rise not to talk of the abject hunger currently affecting every nook and cranny of the country,” he said.
Okon further said that due to some of these problems, a large number of Nigerians are refugees in their father’s land and internationally, foreign investors are wary of coming into the country to invest.
“Locally, many farmers are finding it difficult to engage in farming activities because of the prevalent insecurity nationwide. This, increasing poverty and hunger in the land, hence the urgent call for the 72 hours marathon prayer and fasting,” he said.
CAN National Director of Planning, Research and Strategy, Bishop Micheal Akpami, inaugurated the Advisory Board, which has the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Iorzua Ayatse as the Chairman.
The Tor Tiv who is also the Chairman of Benue State Council of Traditional Rulers said Nigeria is facing very serious challenges and that the only thing that can help Nigerians is prayer, noting therefore that the marathon fasting and prayer are very apt.
“Depending on leaders and human beings will not give us what we need. It is depending on God in prayers. It is God that can move the hand of our leaders, grant them the wisdom and courage, and even the resources to change the narrative of this country.
“Irrespective of whatever we do, without God, nothing can be achieved. This is why I believe this is where to start. It is only God that knows the minds of human beings, He alone can control them. Politicians and political leaders are as slippery as anything you can imagine.
“It is only God pining them down, that they can do the needful. Therefore, this prayer is the key to the challenge that we have been having, and I believe in the efficacy of prayers and I have seen God change certain things because of prayers,” the first class monarch said.