Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
As the 2019 general elections are fast approaching, politicians in the country have been warned to desist from utterances and actions capable of further dividing Nigeria along religious and ethnic lines.
The Secretary-General, Anglican Communion Worldwide, Archbishop Josiah Idowu Fearon, gave this warning on Sunday, in his sermon at the 2018 Christmas Carol, organised by the Ogun state government.
Fearon, who expressed his delight at the manner Muslims and Christians come together to attend the Carol, noted that the country was being sunk by politicians who have devised means to divide Nigerians along with religions and ethnicity.
While urging the people to resist the divisive move by the politicians, the Anglican cleric also tasked people to study the Holy Books of Bible and Quran, to discover that much emphasis was laid on unity by God.
According to him, the two Holy Books agreed that leadership should comprise justice, fairness, equity and accountability and charged Nigerian politicians not to burn the bridge of unity in the country.
He also advised Nigerians to scrutinize their preferred candidates in the 2019 elections and avoid politicians who promote religious intolerance and unnecessary ethnicity.
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Fearon, who described Christmas as celebration of God’s gift to the world, said that message of love and unity must not be restricted to the season alone and told Nigerians to live in peace and harmony at all time.
He, however, lauded the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, for ensuring unity among the people of Ogun irrespective of their religious beliefs, calling on other governors, particularly in the northern part of Nigeria to emulate the governor.
In his remark at the carol service which included nine lessons, Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, expressed gratitude to God for allowing him seeing the last carol organised by his administration.
He noted that as the season of politics has begun, people should look at the quality of the people canvassing for their votes in order to avoid electing wrong people into offices in 2019.