The General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry, William Kumuyi, has appealed to Nigerians to shun violence, saying dialogue with the authority is the best way to achieve economic growth and development.
The respected Man of God, MOG, made the remark on Wednesday during an interractive meeting with journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
His call followed the recent 10-day hunger protests in the country which led to the shut down of major cities, by majorly youths protesting under the #endbadgovernance protests.
The protesters, the magazine reported, had demanded solutions to the current economic hardship imposed by the Bola Tinubu administration due to the removal of fuel subsidy and the convergence of the foreign exchange market.
Speaking yesterday, Kumuyi said dialogue should be priotised with the authority rather than violence, adding that the cooperation of all Nigerians is required to achieve the desired change.
“All hands must be on deck to effect needed changes, otherwise, the society will continue to suffer,” Kumuyi said, adding that Nigerians must “carry the change to our offices and everywhere.”
Kumuyi who is in the state to organise a six-day programme, tagged, “Driving positive change and social impact”, said the event will lead to positive change in the lives of Nigerians irrespective of the religion, creed, or ethnicity.
The MOG said, “The aim is to accomplish positive change in the lives of Nigerians, irrespective of their backgrounds, to make them effect desired social and spiritual transformation. Nigeria’s well documented social, economic and moral problems are impacting all aspects of the country. The stark reality of the situation is that all hands must be on deck to effect needed changes, otherwise, the society will continue to suffer.
“We see that every individual, every family and every institution can do better and if we all do better in various areas, relationships, interaction at our workplaces, our colleges, everywhere, there will be a change in the nation and it doesn’t take mighty efforts.
“Little drops of water make a mighty ocean and, if we can begin the change here as individuals, as families, then carry the change to our offices and everywhere, all that we are mourning and groaning about will turn around for the better,” Mr Kumuyi said.
He added, “When we say that there should be a change, there could be different methods of bringing up the change. The young and older people, even the government, may have different views, but we must agree to a positive change. If we can harness all efforts and energy together, not trying to defeat or crush anyone, the youth, government and everyone knowing that we all have the rights constitutionally to bring a change, we all must strategise at a roundtable to have direction to follow and achieve positive change.
“I also think that when we love one another and respect and honour one another, we’ll be able to sit down without any kind of grievances or retaliation or destroying anything, all we want is a better country and we will have it. I might have to change my attitude, I might have to change my mindset, I might have to change a lot of things and when those changes come together they change a person, they change his interaction, relationships.
“And when those changes are made, we see a national change, we see a community change and we go ahead to see global change. Just like the ripple effect, when each of our lights shine, it makes us see more light. What we see will also lead to what we do and what we do will also bring the change, it’s a kind of chain reaction.’
Meanwhile, the organisers of the hunger protest have vowed to resume in October if their demand for a better country was not met by the government.
