By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The governance in Nigeria has been described as a great disaster which is in dire need of spiritual deliverance.

Parish Priest of Saint Leo’s Catholic Church, Ikeja, Rt. Rev. Dr. Monsignor John Aniagwu, stated this on Tuesday, during a press conference as part of activities lined-up for the 50th Year Anniversary Celebration of his priestly ordination and service in the vineyard of the Lord, held Tuesday in Lagos.

Taking his quote from a renowned novelist, Chinua Achebe, Father Anaigwu posited that “the problem with the giant of Africa-Nigeria, since independence in 1960 has always been that of leadership, while other nations suffer from natural disasters, Nigeria is a victim of leadership disaster. With the kind of leaders that we have had since independence, Nigeria does not need any other disaster.”

Aniagwu lamented further that the progressive and development of Nigeria as a modern nation state of the 21st century has been rendered near-impossible by individuals and groups he said “are in the corridors of power who exhibit a cocktail of character flaws; insatiable greed, selfishness, lack of vision, supine arrogance and worst of all, heartlessness.”

He also said that those groups of leaders careless about in the world whether the people that they govern prosper or perish as clearly demonstrated by what he described as a “shameful” episode of last year, during the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic lockdown, when palliatives and relief materials that were meant to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians were deliberately stolen from them, and hoarded in warehouses across the country.

Aniagwu said his vision for Nigeria “is a bleak one as long as we continue to have the kind of rulers that we have had till date.

“They have made it abundantly clear by their actions and utterances that they have no intention to make the changes that are needed for Nigeria to begin the slow and painful journey from the darkness of underdevelopment to the bright light of a modern nation state that works. Right now our country Nigeria is simply not working some people are already calling it a failed state. That may not be far from the truth”.

“When someone or a group of people are possessed by demons, the only response is recourse to spiritual deliverance.”

“Nigerians need to pray, really storm heaven that God will deliver our rulers from the multiple demons that currently hold them hostage so that they are unable to provide the kind of leadership that Nigeria needs: a leadership that is devoid of greed, selfishness, arrogance, insensitivity, lawlessness; a leadership that is rather characterized by justice and fair-play towards all Nigerians, irrespective of where they come from or what religion they profess, respect for the rule of law, respect for the rights of all citizens.”

Meanwhile, Aniagwu highlighted other activities lined-up for the 50th anniversary celebration to include:“On Wednesday, senior citizens of the parish, aged 65 and above, will feed the hungry and needy in the community; Thursday will be for charity visits to the Pacelli School for the Blind and Partially Sighted Children, Surulere, and St. Monica’s Orphanage Iju, Ishaga.”