Nigeria @ 51: Nigerians need to pray, labour –MURIC •As Nigerians pray around national flag in Lagos

THE Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Dr Is-haq Akintola, on Monday, said Nigerians needed to pray and labour to steer the nation in the right direction.
Akintola made the statement at a street prayer rally, organised by Patnership For A New Nigeria (PFANN), with the theme: Pray Around the Flag,  at the Obafemi Awolowo Way/Allen Avenue Junction, Ikeja, Lagos.
He said corruption had bequeathed much suffering on the people in the midst of affluence, while he urged Nigerians, irrespective of their faith, to pray together for a better country.
“It is high time we prayed and prayed hard. You cannot labour without praying, neither can you pray without labour and expect to be great.
“Both need to come together because it is the Almighty God that rewards the labour of people,” he said.
The MURIC director said prayers were being offered to change the mindset of political leaders and followers, because the average Nigerian thought negatively of his country, an attitude, he said, must change.
He lauded the prayer initiative of Evangelist Elishama Ideh, the founder of PFANN, saying that it was a means to advance the cause of the nation.
Meanwhile, Ideh has said the prayer rally was organised to pray for Nigeria and break the yoke that had held it down from reaching its place of glory.
She said what would save Nigeria from its problems were God, prayers and fear of God among the leaders.
“We came out on the street today to connect with our national flag. We all differ on different issues like language and beliefs, but one thing that connects us as one is our national flag.
“Therefore, we came out to the street for every Nigerian, irrespective of tribe or religion, to connect and pray for our nation,” she said.
Ideh added that everything being experienced in the country, such as bomb blasts, threats of Boko Haram, kidnapping and ritual killings would become a thing of the past.
Source