The Methodist Bishop of Onitsha diocese, Anambra state, Rt.Rev. Biereonwu Onuagha has called on governors in the South East to be proactive in checkmating the activities of the Fulani herdsmen in the region.
He advised the herdsmen to consider other parts of the country for the grazing of their cattle, saying there was no greener pastures in the southern part of the country.
Delivering his address on Saturday during the church’s 18th Diocesan Synod at St. Andrew’s Methodist Cathedral, Awada, Onitsha, the cleric also asked the federal government not to contemplate making the menace of Almajiri a national issue.
He further regretted the infux of the suspected Islamic terrorists to the southern part of the country, warning that any plans to nationalise the issue would be resisted.
He said, “The menace of Almajiri which is part and parcel of Islamic religion should not be made a national issue. It’s not proper to distribute the evil perpetuated for centuries to innocent people who don’t fashion slavery as mode of life.
“Let the manufacturer of Almajiri enjoy, maintain and keep the Almajiri institution. It is not for national consumption and any attempt to make it so shall be resisted.
“If these people are looking for greener pasture, they should go to places they should go to places they get the green and the pastures.”
Acccording to the cleric, it was not out of place for communities and governments in the region to organise a combing of their surrounding bushes to dislodge those hiding in such places and recover their belongings.
On the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bishop listed eight lessons the citizenry had learnt from the scourge, including God’s supremacy over the universe, the helplessness of human race, the failure of wealth, the equality of man, rich or poor, as well as exposing the shortcomings of church administration.
In his message to the synod, Prelate of the church, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Uche warned against criticizing Nigeria leaders, advising that members should rather pray for them to repent of their sins.
“I call on government functionaries to live up to the tenets of religion. When this is done, we would build a godly nation devoid of corruption, disobedience and impunity.
“Nigeria is our nation and we must avoid that blacklist and underate us because of its potent dangers. We can’t be an island in the comity of nations, we should be careful not to attract “World War 3”.
“If we continue the way we are we could have an implosion and Methodist Church Nigeria will continue to pray that we don’t have an implosion in Nigeria,” he said.
