The Special Assistant on Interfaith Affairs, Reverend Femi, has appealed to religious and traditional leaders in the state to rise up and rally support for the present government under Governor Seyi Makinde maintaining that the state needs more than prayers at the moment.
The Governor’s aide made the appeal on Thursday, January 18 while reacting to the explosion that rocked Ibadan few days ago leaving three confirmed dead and several other injured.
Recall that governor Makinde during an on the spot assessment of the explosion site urged residents to say something when they see something maintaining that security remains everybody’s business.
Rev Ibikunle noted that the Makinde led government has been very friendly with all the religious bodies in the state and that it was high time to reciprocate such relationship especially at the present critical time of disaster management.
While commending governor Makinde for showing an exceptional leadership quality by rising up to the current challenges and providing alternative shelter for victims of the blast as well as other supports, Rev Ibikunle maintained that state government needed all the support it could get presently.
Rev Ibikunle noted that the situation at hand requires practical show of support as against just prayers stressing that religious organizations must show the commitment to the long proclamied synergy and collaboration with government by rising up to provide the needed support to the state government at this critical time.
He added that the unexpected explosion has clearly placed a huge and additional burden on the governor and the state government while stressing the importance of collaborative efforts towards helping victims of the blast stabilize again.
He stressed that the state government alone could not be left alone to handle the situation described as unpleasant, calling on privileged individuals, corporate organizations to show their humanitarian disposition to their host state saying other countries of the world usually rely on such support in such critical situation.
“I want to appeal and urge the good people of Oyo state especially religious bodies to do more than prayers, we know for sure that prayer is good but at this material time, this is the time for them to rise up and reciprocate the friendship extended to them since inception of the Seyi Makinde led government.
“We’re calling on the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Council of Imams and Alfas, Traditional Worshipers to rise up and support government at this critical time because so far, this is a humanitarian crisis and the government alone can not be left to handle it.
” It is an overwhelming situation that government did not plan for and as such it only behoves on corporate organization to through their corporate social responsibility to their host state and rise up in support of government in arresting this emergency situation.
