Pastor William F. Kumuyi

By Omon-Julius Onabu

Although Nigerians are today believed to be “the most religious people in the world,” it would be erroneous to interpret that means Nigerians are the most godly or righteous people in the world.

This is because most of the outwardly religious people in the country, including professed Christians and adherents of other religions, often compromise their faith and do not usually practise what they profess.

Delta State Overseer of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor Nkemjika Obinna, made this assertion while briefing journalists in Warri yesterday of the planned working visit to the state of General Overseer of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, a.k.a. Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William F. Kumuyi, for a three-day crusade.

He noted that only the transforming word of God could make good persons of any human being, hence people should be thought the fear of God and respect for fellow humans from very tender age.

“We have heard that Nigerians are the most religious people in the world, but that does not mean they are all children of God. Somebody can be religious without being a child of God. Zachaeus was religious but wasn’t a good man, but he was transformed after meeting with Jesus Christ. So, it is time for God to touch our individual lives at these end-times.”

Briefing journalists, on the event, whose theme is “Unforgettable Encounter, with the God of Miracles”, the state overseer of the church said: “The purpose of the crusade is to bring hope to the hopeless, salvation to sinners, healing to the sick, deliverance to captive souls and succour to the poor and oppressed.”

He stressed that it was only when each individual is transformed into peace makers that we could hope for sustainable peace in the community and the country.

“It is this teaching of the gospel that can transform lives. We have heard much talk about peace by United Nations, but has it brought about peace in the world?”

On Boko Haram, he disagreed with those who claim that poverty and employment created the Islamist insurgents, saying the failure by past governments to closely monitor what some informal schools thought abandoned children, called Almajiris in northern Nigeria was the root of the problem.

“The neglected children or Almajaris were being taught the wrong things for too long without any control from government authorities. So, they taught them fighting and self-defence; they taught them to have no respect for human life......”

“Some say because some people are poor that is why they become terrorists, but we know rich people commit crime while some who are poor are peace loving. Some say it is because of unemployment, yet even well-paid bank workers sometimes plot to rob the bank or their customers.

“The Holy Bible says that the heart of a man is inherently wicked. So, the evil you see in the world today is the offspring of the evil heart of man”, he said, noting that conscious effort must be prayerfully made to make human beings good and peace-loving.

Crime rate, for instance, is higher in countries like South Africa, Syria, Central
African Republic and Sudan than Nigeria, he said, advising well-meaning citizens especially committed Christians to intensify their prayers and reach out to others with the transforming gospel of Christ.

Obinna however admitted government’s provision of quality education and meaningful engagement of youths in agricultural and other employment schemes were practical measures to tackle insurgency and other violent crimes in the country.

He commended the Goodluck Jonathan administration for the increased interest and investment in the Almajiri education scheme, saying the mistake of unfettered freedom of persons who provided the neglected, street children with some form of education.


Source: This Day