The Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC) has applauded the giant strides being made by President Bola Tinubu to redeem the country’s economy as well as fix other key areas of national life, especially transportation.
President of NBC, Reverend Dr Israel Akanji gave the applause at a briefing on the Church’s 111th Annual Session, holding at the Baptist International Convention Centre
Klm. 54, Lagos-Ibadan Express Way
Lufuwape Village, Ogun State, on April 20 -25, 2024.
“We welcome the ongoing reforms in the economic sector. Going by media reports we are receiving, unarguably, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited a mismanaged economy. In view of that, we urge the Federal Government to make those responsible to be accountable for their actions. And while we appreciate the President for all he is doing to cushion the severity of the economic hardship, we urge him to intensify action to put in place economic policies with a human face to get it fixed on time. Let there be welfare packages that will touch a high percentage of the people. Let there be a waiver in the industries with a view to encourage those companies that have relocated to the subregion to return with so that room for job opportunities will be created”, said Akanji.
Dr. Akanji also called on the president to take decisive steps to check the mass exodus of Nigerians to foreign countries in what is popularly known as Japa.
While imploring the government to as a matter of urgency restore security in the country, he stressed the need to boost the capacity of local airlines to reduce the high cost of flight tickets.
According to him, “We commend the Federal Government for the attention being given to our roads, which have become death traps. This will help the economy as farm products will be finding their ways to the markets and cities with ease. And while we welcome the Lagos-Calabar highway, we caution the Federal Government against losing focus which need serious repairs attention.
“AIR TRAVELS: That the cost of travelling by air in Nigeria seems to be the highest in the world. It has come to a state when Nigerian travelers overseas go through neighboring countries to travel because it is cheaper. We thank God for the ongoing price war in the overseas travelling but that is also needed in our domestic air transport services and the Ministry of Aviation should not fold its hands.
“THE MENACE OF INSECURITY: During the just concluded Sallah celebrations, the media were showing footages of terrorists celebrating in some communities in Zamfara and Borno States. This was a slap on the face of our security agencies. More actions are needed to put these criminals where they rightly belong. More personnel should be recruited to fill the vacuum in all our security agencies. The Nigerian Baptist Convention endorses the quest for the State Police. It will complement the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force and as a country, having such a Police Unit is not abnormal. Rather, it is a global practice of security architecture. Also, the Federal Government should set up a Special Court where terrorist cases will be prosecuted according to the law of the land. Developed nations like the USA, the UK, Germany and France should stop paying lip service to their support for the country in our efforts to stop the menace of terrorism.
“EDUCATION: We call on all tiers of government to declare a state of emergency on the education sector with a view to restore normalcy. This will help us to reduce the percentage of children who are out of schools in the country and address all the crises rocking our tertiary institutions, which always lead to their closure at the expense of our youths. Our tertiary institutions should overhaul their curriculum with a view to producing graduates who are not only employable, but who can become self-employed. We also call on the leadership of the Civil Defence Corps to rise to the security threat on our public schools in order to stop the incessant abduction of our children”.
He hoped that this year’s convention with the theme “Entering into Newness through Discipleship and Apostleship” derived from the Gospel of Mark chapter 3 verses 14 and 15, would have a huge positive impact on the country as it is aimed at leading Nigerians to embrace the impeccable lifestyle of Jesus Christ.
“The vision we have received from the Lord is that of NEWNESS for the entire Nigerian Baptist Convention which will affect our lives and our nation positively. This year, entering into newness for us is through Discipleship and Apostleship. This is because apostleship flows out of discipleship. It is only by spending time in getting to know and follow Jesus that we can call others to know and follow Him” explained Akanji who stated that the occasion was also to celebrate the Super Centenary of the church in Nigeria.
Giving the background of the convention,he said ,
“The Nigerian Baptist Convention came together as a national body on March 11, 1914 in a meeting at the First Baptist Church, Idikan Street, Ibadan. This was after Baptist work had been ongoing in the country for 64 years through the pioneering work of Rev Thomas Jefferson Bowen, in 1850, by a Missionary of the Southern Baptist Convention who hailed from the State of Gorgia, United States of America.
“During the initial 64 years, the Churches were planted in various parts of the Western part of Nigeria therefore at their coming together, they adopted the name, Yoruba Baptist Association. It was in 1919 that they changed the name to the Nigerian Baptist Convention (NBC). Therefore, today we can say that the Baptist work in Nig
is 174 years old, but the merger which made it a Convention is 110 years this year. Thus the Nigerian Baptist Convention shares the number of years with the Amalgamation of the Northern and the Southern Protectorates by Sir Fredrick Lugard in 1914. That is why this year is our Super Centenary anniversary. May I say, CONGRATULATIONS TO US.
DEVELOPMENT
“The Baptist Church began with the planting of Churches from place to place in Nigeria. Not long after, schools began to be established with our oldest school being the Baptist Academy, Lagos, which began in 1855. Thereafter, many schools began in most of the cities, particularly in the Western part of Nigeria. By 1897, the popular Baptist College, Iwo, was founded. In 1898, the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso, was founded to provide training for Pastors who would propergate the Good News of Jesus Christ. Some notable schools in the country as pioneered by the Baptist people of Nigeria include Oliveth Baptist High School, Oyo; Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta; Baptist Girls’ High School, Abeokuta; Baptist Girls’ High School, Agbor; Baptist High School Port Harcourt; Baptist High School, Benin; Niger Baptist College, Minna; Baptist High School Iree, Baptist High School, Jos, etc. The Baptist education has been of great benefit to our great country. For instance, the BBHS, Abeokuta, was the school attended by Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Prince Bola Ajibola, Chief MKO Abiola, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Otunba Gbenga Daniel, just to mention a few. If one multiplies that around the country, one would definitely appreciate the contribution of the Nigerian Baptist Convention to the educational development of the country. And to crown this effort, we have the Bowen University in Iwo, one of those highly respected private universities in Nigeria, lending support to Government’s effort on education.
“But it will be fair to also mention the Medical contributions of the Nigerian Baptist Convention. The Bowen University Teaching Hospital is a tertiary medical institution, serving the nation, both in providing medical services and training nurses and doctors who are currently all over the country and all over the world. The Baptist Hospital, Shaki, and the Baptist Hospital, Eku, have served our country quite immensely, and we give glory to God for that. Our medical services are still all over the country with Hospitals and clinics in even remote places.
With all the above, as we celebrate 110 years, our Super Centenary, we give all the glory to God for everything He has made us to be through the years of our establishment in Nigeria. We are using this medium to thank the Almighty God for helping us so much in our efforts to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ and to carry out the Good Deeds He has commanded us to perform. Time and space will fail me to mention our influence in several parts of Africa, especially the coastal countries of West Africa. There you will
find several replicas of the Nigerian Baptist Convention through the mission efforts of the Nigerian Baptist Convention”.
