Yemisi Izuora
The Christian Welfare Initiative, WTI is holding a major rally in Lagos to draw attention of those in the vanguard of disintegration to have a rethink and dissipate energy in nations building than working against her unity.
The group is not alone in the long march around major streets in the metropolis as it was joined by Poplife Youth Group in the initiative theme, “NIGERIA UNITY PRAYER MARCH”, which began from Yaba through Ojuelegba Down to the National Stadium in Surulere.
His Grace, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, chairman Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, south west and president WTI, speaking on the reason for the rally said the political and security situation in the country is becoming worrisome and is further heightened by agitations by various interest groups across the country.
Atilade, blamed the situation on present political structure of the country and lopsided constitution which has offered nothing but fueling agitation.
Nevertheless, he expressed concern about the trend the entire agitation is taking which has resulted in loss of life and property and which has prompted the Unity Prayer March.
According to him, It is not possible for us to solve contemporary religious and communal clashes, riots, conflicts and violence in Nigeria without correcting the inherited primordial, religious and cultural, and colonial structures and negative values and redressing these legacies, if contemporary Nigeria is to be reoriented along the paths and principles of justice, equality, freedom and equity in socio-political relationships of all Nigerians in the distribution of national resources, rewards and statuses for the benefit of all by the Governments.
Atilade insists that for the country to move forward there is the need for us to do self-appraisal, what primordial values and structures of inequality and injustice are we still holding on to the detriment of others and building a united Nigeria where no one is oppressed.
He noted that it is not possible to achieve peace, unity and respect for human dignity and worth of all Nigerians, if we have not personally and collectively made a deliberate effort and commitment to these noble virtues as the primary goal or end of our dialogue and relations among and between people, and ethnic and religious groups, adding that “we must be committed personally and collectively to peace, unity and human rights and secondly see them as ultimate goals that must be attained before we can even start to deliberate with each other.