Nigeria bleeds, more divided than ever – Gov. Dickson

The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has aid that Nigeria is seriously bleeding and more divided since the emergence as a nation. He said the continuous killing by suspected herdsmen across the country is symptomatic of a failed state, calling for prayers so that the country could surmount all the challenges facing it.

The Governor who stated this during the National Prayer Conference organized by Nigeria Prays at the Ecumenical Center, Yenogoa with the theme: “Lord Rend the Heavens”.

According to a press statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Dickson, Francis Agbo, the Governor noted that Nigerians must unite in prayers and resolve to work together to ensure fairness, justice, equity and equal citizenship.

The governor lamented that the country is bleeding and urged leaders across the nation to take the responsibility to stop the bloodletting. He said the emergence of Nigeria Prays was more critical than ever before, as it encourages the different denominations to pray fervently for the nation.

“In this country, God’s children, human beings irrespective of the God they worship are being slaughtered mercilessly, remorselessly in many parts of the country. Our nation is bleeding; we must unite in prayers and resolve to do what is right and fair. Our nation should be a nation of fairness, justice, equity, equal citizenship and United by common ideals of being the greatest black nation.

“We are united by our common shared humanity and nationality, so injustice and unfairness anywhere should be a concern to anyone and everyone in our nation. I join you in praying that the bloodletting, unnecessary killings in our nation under any shape or guise ends in Jesus name. God should intervene so that people will feel the need to do the right thing, be fair and just to one another.

“Anyone who denies his fellow man justice is less human than his victim because what qualifies us humans created in the image of God is our belief in doing what is right and just. So I call for a just, egalitarian, fair Nigeria where everyone is proud to call his or her country. No one should play the ostrich”, he said.

The chairman and convener of Nigeria Prays, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), in his earlier remarks expressed appreciation to Governor Seriake Dickson for giving Nigeria Prays the privilege of holding its National Prayer Conference at the Ecumenical Centre, which he described as a magnificent edifice built for God’s glory and the edification of man.

“Mr. Dickson has demonstrated his faith in God by building the Ecumenical Centre and urged other state governors to emulate his noble and progressive initiative to provoke God’s blessings”.

The former head of state who noted that prayers can solve Nigeria’s problems better and faster than Military generals and soldiers can do with physical weapons of war also assured Nigerians that God will honor the collective prayers and intercession for the nation, advising everyone to “shun violence and retaliation”.