The President of the All Africa Baptist Fellowship, Rev. Israel Akanji has urged Nigerians to pray for President Bola Tinubu and leaders at all levels to build a country that will be the pride of the world.
He made the call at the induction of Rev. Thomas Takpatore as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Nigeria, Garki Abuja on Sunday.
In an interview with newsmen on the sideline of a special induction service, Akanji said that followers have a role to play in addressing the challenges facing the country.
âWe have our own human responsibilities in the difficult times we are in, we must be praying for government. The Bible says that the people of God must pray for the leaders because nobody assumes leadership without the knowledge of God; whoever that person is, God has put in there.
âIt is our own to pray for them and support them and then to be good citizens to contribute our own quota. President Tinubu cannot be everywhere, in our cars, we should not break the traffic lights, we should not drop banana peels from our cars on the road; we should keep the cities clean. We should be fair to the environment.
âWe should be lovers of one another, let the killings and attacks of people that is shedding blood should discontinue in our country. And I tell you the truth, the whole world will come to watch Nigeria, if we can just embrace brotherly love among one another,â he said
Akanji who is also the President, Nigerian Baptist Convention, charged the new senior pastor to always seek the face of God.
He tasked him on good leadership and steady commitment to his duties as the shepherd of the church while urging members to give him the required support.
The President, Men Missionary Union (MMU), Mr Augustine Beguwa said that the induction of Takpatore meets the yearnings of all the members of the church.
He said that Takpatore had served as pastor in the church for over 17 years, describing him as an experienced administrator and accommodating fellow with all the required qualities to lead the church.
Beguwa tasked members to cooperate with the new senior pastor and prayed God to give him the wisdom and the ability to take the church to the greater level.
Also speaking, Deaconess Olukemi Adebimpe-Ojo, the President of Women Missionary Union (WMU) in the church expressed satisfaction with the choice of Takpatore and his induction as senior pastor.
She said that all the women in the church had been waiting for the inauguration saying that Takpatore had been good in every area of his ministry.
Adebimpe-Ojo prayed God for more unction for the senior pastor to function well and fresh oil of wisdom for him to succeed in his new task.
Also, the Youth President, Ms Idowu Fagbemi said that the induction of Takpatore births a new dawn for the church.
Fagbemi pledged the support of all the youths in the church to the success of the new senior pastor of the church.
Responding, Takpatore said he was thankful to God for the great privilege given him to serve His church saying that Godâs plans for the church will come to pass.
He said that he is will to serve and that he had adopted teamwork and community approach to all church activities.
âI am just so thankful that God has also given us a great church to serve in our prayer. Trust is that, that which God had proposed for this church will come to pass. And this will be a great time of listening to God and obeying God and doing that which God has called us to be, to be a light to our world, and to be a blessing our world In Jesus name.
âWe are all working together, praying together and looking at Godâs word together and just trusting God, looking up to Him for what He will do in our lives and do in our nation. God has been faithful, He is the master shepherd that leads his people and he has led us through various levels at various times and seasons. And He has brought us to this point and we are thankful to God for his leadership,â he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that prior to his elevation to the post of a senior pastor, he was the acting senior pastor since 2021.
((NAN)
