Why We Should Pray For Our Country

Not too long ago, Ibadan began to enjoy stable electricity. In my area of residence for instance, power usually lasts for 18-24hours a day. So my electricity powered kitchen equipment often serve me maximally. I also enjoy the fact that I can schedule my activities and predict that my power-based plans would fall through. But there are times when it all squashes! I mean when faults develop at ‘NEPA’ office or wherever along the transmission line. At these moments, I feel unhappy. Someone might be saying, “You no even thank God se you dey see that kain light? For my town, NEPA no dey try at all!” Anyway, man has an intrinsic nature of adaptability. So when they adapt to something and that environment is no longer available, they feel like fish out of water.

In times when “something don spoil” I pray for NEPA. I pray that they repair whatever is spoilt quickly. LOL! Now, I don’t even wait until something goes bad, I pray ahead of time: that nobody in their office should go and press what they shouldn’t press, that no thief should go and steal armor cable from transformer and that when it rains, no pole should fall. LOL! But these prayers have been working. Sometimes, you have to pray for something not because you like that thing but because it affects you in one way or the other.

Let’s pray for Nigeria! I have heard people say that it’s not prayer we need, that we need change, we need to end corruption, etc. But prayers can help cushion the severity of circumstances, for instance, the economic hardship; it can help prevent disasters. Prayers can help!

In the mid 90s, we heard of how a certain leader wanted to Islamize this country and the Christians rose up and prayed and something happened. I am not a religious bigot, though a Christian, there are some attributes I admire in Muslims such as their dedication to Allah. It’s very commendable. I have so many Muslim friends and neighbours because I live in a Muslim dominated state. However, if true, Islamizing the nation would have forced Christians to become Muslims against their wish and that would be going a long way to depriving them of their right to freedom of worship. We also saw how in the early 2000s plane crashes became rampant in Nigeria. We heard of Belview, Sosoliso and Dana crashes. Those days, people feared to board planes. Then, a certain religious sect rose up to fast and pray, and God had mercy. We also know how there were rumours that Nigeria would not survive 2015, that there would be bloodshed, the country would divide and all what not. I remember this protruding its head after there had been previous incitements before our 100 year anniversary as a Nation in 2014. Again, there were prayers for a peaceful transition and there was a peaceful handover of power from the former president to the incumbent and the elections had also recorded lesser chaos than those of previous years.

If this country and its people have survived this far, it is because people have been praying. And it is obviously true that right actions need to be taken, but for the safety of the innocent and survival of the poor, we must continue to pray for the sustenance Nigerians, irrespective of the ruthless acts of those atop.

Let us pray that there shall be no accidents on our ways, even when roads are bad. Let us pray that those in their farmlands be preserved even when nothing refuses to be done about the acts of brutal herdsmen. Let us pray that poor people’s lives be preserved even when hospital bills continue to rise and the reality that most health centres lack good medical facilities. Let us pray that innocent people be save in spite of the mystery behind Boko Haram. Let us pray that Nigerians survive through economic hardship even when the country has enough resources to tremendously reduce the cost of living. Let’s pray that our graduates will find ways to have a means of livelihood, our children will live and grow old, deadly diseases do not spread, disasters do not occur, our infrastructures work well. Let’s pray that wicked rulers leave their seats and incompetent people are not put in position of authorities. Let’s pray that religion, ethnicity, age and gender differences do not instigate crises, but that Nigerians will live in integrity, diligence, peace and unity for the progress of our country.

May this country become that which we desire and in our time may we witness the Nigeria of our dreams.