Methodist Prelate urges Nigerians to pray for unity

Uche made the call on Monday during a news briefing in Enugu to mark the end of his apostolic tour of the South-East.
He said that while the security situation in the country had become frightening, the gap between the rich and the poor was putting additional pressure on the country.
He said that a situation where the wealth of the nation was concentrated on a few hands was unjust and unacceptable.
“Nigerians need to pray against the polarisation of the country, inequitable distribution of political positions among parts of the state and insecurity,’’ he said.
The clergyman further called for deliberate efforts to empower the nation’s youths in order to curb the rising spate of insecurity in the country.
He expressed joy over President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to create employment for the teeming youths.
Uche, however, said that curbing the current security challenges in the country was beyond the creation of jobs.
He said that more attention needed to be paid to the nation’s borders in order to prevent miscreants from neighboring countries sneaking into the country.
He charged the Federal Government to take a definite position on the issue of state police.
“If there is not going to be a state police, then there should be state vigilance group which should be empowered to carry arms,” he said.
On the apostolic tour of the zone, the prelate said that it afforded him the opportunity to appraise the growth of the church in the area.
Uche said that he visited nine of the 17 archdioceses in the country during which 147 priests were ordained.
He said he was glad to observe that about 60 per cent of the church membership consisted of young people.
“I am glad that my bishops have not allowed the young ones who are the future of the church to stray to the ‘prosperity churches’,” he said.
The cleric said that about 13 projects, including a house built for a widow in Ebonyi by the church, were inaugurated during the tour