Ayomide Awe
The Lead Pastor and General Overseer of Victory Life Bible Church International, Apostle Lawrence Achudume, has urged Nigerians to harness the country’s vast human and natural resources for national development, while using democratic processes to demand accountable and responsible leadership.
Achudume made the call in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during a special programme organised by the church to pray for Nigeria as the country marked its 66th Independence anniversary.
The cleric said Nigeria was endowed with enormous human capital, agricultural resources and other natural assets capable of transforming the country into a prosperous nation, but stressed that such potential could only be realised through integrity, discipline, sacrifice, responsible leadership and active citizenship.
According to him, the country’s challenges should not make Nigerians lose sight of the enormous capacity of its people to excel globally.
“We are great people. We are intelligent people. Look at the best doctors on earth; look at the best engineers. Name it, and you will find Nigerians there,” Achudume said.
He cited Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, and other Nigerians who have distinguished themselves internationally as evidence of the intellectual and professional capacity available within the country.
The pastor, however, warned that intelligence and talent without character, discipline and integrity would not be sufficient to transform Nigeria.
He said the country needed citizens and leaders who would deploy their abilities in the service of the nation rather than for personal enrichment.
Achudume also drew attention to Nigeria’s agricultural and natural resource base, stressing that the different regions of the country possessed complementary resources capable of driving economic growth if properly harnessed.
He noted that the North was endowed with agricultural products including tomatoes, onions, yam and cashew, while the South, including the South-West, also possessed significant agricultural and other natural resources.
Rather than allowing regional differences to become sources of division, he said Nigerians should exploit their diversity as a basis for cooperation, trade and shared prosperity.
“Our coming together as a nation is not by accident; we believe it is part of Your design,” he said.
The cleric urged Nigerians to stop viewing the country exclusively through the lens of its challenges, saying citizens should acknowledge Nigeria’s potential while taking responsibility for solving the problems confronting the nation.
Leadership must serve the people
Achudume said the quality of leadership remained central to Nigeria’s ability to translate its resources into tangible development.
Drawing from the biblical account of King Amaziah in 2 Chronicles 25, who did what was right but not with a perfect heart, he said public officials must genuinely place the welfare of the people above personal interests.
He maintained that the provision of roads, markets, housing, transportation and other public infrastructure should not be portrayed as personal favours by elected officials.
“In the first place, you were elected to do that. And if you can’t do it, you step aside,” he said.
The pastor consequently charged Nigerians to become more involved in the electoral process, beginning with voter registration and extending to active participation, protection of their votes and lawful demands for accountability.
He also called on electoral officials to discharge their responsibilities impartially and urged security agencies to protect voters and electoral processes without political bias.
Political actors, he added, should respect legitimate electoral choices and allow citizens to exercise their democratic rights without intimidation.
Achudume said nation-building could not be left entirely to politicians, charging citizens, particularly young Nigerians, to embrace entrepreneurship, innovation, creativity and hard work.
He stressed that meaningful national transformation would require sacrifices from every generation.
“Ordinary sacrifice will produce ordinary results,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s history, the cleric urged citizens to remember the contributions and sacrifices of the nation’s past heroes, including Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Anthony Enahoro, whose efforts contributed to the struggle for self-government and nation-building.
“The labour of our heroes past shall not be in vain,” he declared.
He challenged the present generation to consider the kind of country it would hand over to its children, saying the sacrifices of past nationalists must translate into a more responsible, united and prosperous society.
Recalling his childhood experiences during Independence celebrations, when schoolchildren were served rice and some children arrived with large plates and even buckets in anticipation of receiving food, Achudume said the memory reflected the aspirations of ordinary Nigerians for a country where its resources would produce tangible benefits for citizens.
He said Nigeria should ultimately become a nation where citizens could directly experience the value of its enormous resources through better infrastructure, economic opportunities and improved living conditions.
The cleric further urged African leaders to negotiate with foreign partners from a position of courage and responsibility, insisting that national resources and policies must be handled in the interests of the people.
Despite the country’s challenges, Achudume appealed to Nigerians not to abandon hope in the nation’s future.
“Don’t give up on Nigeria. Don’t give up. Nigeria will be great. Nigeria was born great,” he declared.
He expressed optimism that a new generation of responsible leaders could emerge from among ordinary Nigerians.
“The people who are there now may not be the right people, but they will come. God will raise a people. They could be waiting somewhere,” he said.
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