FEDERAL Government has been charged to improve the living conditions of its populace.
Speaking at the 1st Session of the 12th Synod of the Diocese of Ife Anglican Communion with the theme: Building Godly Investment for the 21st Century Church at the Cathedral Church of St. Philip, Ayetoro, Bishop Olubunmi Akinlade said FG needs to do the needful and also reduce the cost of governance with such savings should be spent on infrastructure and provision of employment.
Akinlade said Nigeria, is a country abundantly blessed with human and natural resources, it has the largest economy and population on the African continent saying yet we are not where we expect to be.
According to him, the hope of many Nigerians has metamorphosed into hopelessness and the future appears very uncertain for individuals and the country. Nationhood and a common sense of identity is still a mirage.
He said the corruption at every level appears unabated, probably even on the rise noted that political class has continued to pay lip service to fighting corruption, rather, the looting the country’s common patrimony is engendered by bogus and non-beneficial projects.
“The economic and social indices for the country are still quite dismal. The poverty rate is estimated to have reached 38.9% in 2023, with about 87 million Nigerians living below the poverty line. Nigeria churns out about 3.5 million people into the labour force every year, sadly many do not find the jobs and almost 40% of recent graduates are jobless.
“The average Nigerian is having a tough time eating a decent meal. With a bag of rice at around N80,000, a bowl of Garri above N1,000 and bread has now become an occasional treat, many Nigerians are hungry, angry, and desperate.
Despite being well-intentioned, the economic policies of government to remove fuel subsidy and float the naira has done incalculable damage to the earning power of the average Nigerian.
Olukoya said: “A platform was needed to help bring youth and young people together; for Christ and Godly Biblical teachings, rescue young men and women of this generation from the destructive agenda of the devil, as well as to squash and totally destroy the agenda of the agents of darkness to destroy the destiny of Youth(s), hence the birth of the Youth Church in Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries.”
The Youth Church is to secure, safe guard and reposition the destinies of the youth of this generation.
Olukoya, commended the Regional Overseer in charge of the MFM Mega Youth Church, Abeokuta,Pastor Olakunle Salami, and his wife Pastor (Mrs) Omobolanle Salami for keying into the vision of the church, for establishing Youth Church which has also been a vehicle for Evangelism.
On his part, the Regional Overseer in charge of the Youth Church Pastor Olakunle Salami, testified that the Youth Church which started fifteen years ago in Abeokuta has transformed, mould as well as remould destinies for good. He said God has given career and academic breakthroughs to members of the Youth Church through several deliverance prayer programmes and Biblical teachings.
According to the Youth Pastor, Salami, the church through its life transforming biblical teachings, seminars, mentoring and deliverance prayers has repositioned the youth and completely deliver them from satan’s plots to abort their divine destinies and life allocations. He maintained that MFM youth church has engaged and empowered the youth to have good and Godly success.
The pastor stressed that a lot of destinies are been fulfilled and still under fulfillment from time to time, revealed that the church has Representatives all over the world, added that the church is a transitional place that has produced a lot of leaders, locally and internationally.
He maintained that God has positioned Youth as leading lights in different areas of life in fulfillment of the Bible in Isaiah Chapter 60 verse 1, stressed that
that various programmes of the church had positive transformational impacts on the youths.
He added that destinies of Youth both within and outside the church and in the society at large have been reshaped for good through the church’s Godly programmes.
Salami said God has used the church which the slogan is “The Place of Destiny Fulfilment “ to win souls for Jesus Christ, revealed that through various Evangelism programmes and different outreaches embarked upon by the church, Cultists have renouced cultism and publicly gave their lives to Christ, prisoners have massively given their lives to Christ through the church’s Prison Evangelism at different times.
The cleric explained that the Youth Church constantly embark upon rural Evangelism programmes where people in the rural areas are not only led to Christ but given free medical diagnosis as well as free medications, likewise food gifting and clothing. He said members of the Youth Church have gone to Ajebo, Alabata, Opeji Kobape, Olodo, Orile, Odeda. This is in line with the Explosive Evangelism Initiative /Solution Evangelism Initiative of the General Overseer, Dr. Olukoya.
He added that a lot of youth have been Evangelised and through the words of God and deliverance prayers quit drug addiction, smoking and drunkeness, prostitution, lesbianism, bad and wrong associations turn and have been Evangelists winning souls for Christ.
Salami, added that the church had also involved in several Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR)for both members and non-members of the church, such as; Church on the Street programme which is designed to take the Church to those who do not go to church, especially on Sundays, Free JAMB/WAEC forms, Free tutorials for members and non members alike (including those of other religions) to sharpen their intellectual mind as they prepare for the next examination,
Computer training for youth which had enhanced their capabilities in computer literacy and appreciations especially with the adoption of computer based examination (such as JAMB and Post UME) as new education policy, Women Empowerment programme and teachings on various skills such as soap making, as well as Community Hymns Singing programme designed to sensitise the church (members) and community (non members) with what God has done through salvation received from the Lord.
“This is a Vision to rescue young men and women from the destructive agenda of the devil. To God’s glory, the Vision is progressive transforming lives with astonishing testimonies recorded, bringing salvation to the lost souls, and joy over—flow to the hopeless. Thereby, hijacking the Youths from the Clubs to Church, prostitutes to prophets, from darkness to light. As a result, we record the highest gathering of Youths, trooping in all to God’s glory.
“It is evident that alot of destinies are been fulfilled and still under fulfillment from time to time. At present, we have representative all over the world. The church is a transitional place that has produced a lot of leaders, locally and internationally. God has been helping us as our slogan implies “The Place of
Destiny Fulfilment”. The church has been House of Evangelism and Testimony moulding destinies. The church had engaged the youth in different Bibilcal teachings, seminars, Godly counselling, youth empowerment and mentoring programmes, ICT trainings, skills acquisition programmes, academic and career development programmes as well as deliverance prayers which has rescued the youths from bad and wrong associations, cultism, satanic and demonic influences, smoking, truancy, wandering aimlessly, depression, drug addiction, youthful exhurberance, Misplaced priorities, Yahoo tendencies as well as different forms of sexual perversion,” Salami revealed.
Salami added that the Youth Church has a Football Team to engage youth(s) on sporting activities as well as to discover Talents.
His words: “Part of the 70-point agenda to Reposition and capture Youth for Christ is through sport. All we are doing is engaging the youths in profitable ventures which is geared towards making them have the fear of God and become better leaders of this great country.
“Our youths must be taught God’s ways and this can only be done inside the church and not outside of it.
“We also found out that with a football in one hand and a bible in the other, the battle to save our youths from destroying themselves will be easy to accomplish.”
In the same vein, the General Overseer, Dr. Olukoya ministered at The Great Deliverance Crusade with the theme “Connecting to God of Wonders “ held at M.K.O.Abiola Stadium, in Abeokuta where many were saved by giving their lives to Jesus. Several miracles and deliverance were recorded during the crusade.
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