Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has expressed confidence that Nigeria will overcome the current challenges confronting the nation.
Obasanjo disclosed this on Saturday while speaking at the 57th annual convention and 67th anniversary of The Gospel Faith Mission International held at Gospel City, Ogunmakin, Ogun State, with theme, ‘The roles of the church in nation building at a time like this’.
He noted that politics should not ordinarily be dirty, adding that those who participate in politics make it dirty
The former president, while congratulating the church on the successful hosting of the convention, said Christians must not be involved in any corrup practice and influences of the world, particularly in politics.
He told his listeners fhat as believers, they must imitate Christ and ask themselves all the time, ‘What will Christ do if He finds himself in the circumstances that I find myself in?’
He said at a time like this in the country, when there is insecurity, hopelessness, poverty, depression, a time that is not conducive to living, the church must rise to the occasion as the salt of the world.
“We are in the world, yet we are not of the world. We are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. We are to be like Jesus who, when He was in the world, did not belong to the world,” Obasanjo told the congregants.
He also called on the church to demand justice, fairness and equity in the country’s social, political and economic aspects.
Obasanjo further said, “Food without salt is stale. The church is meant to flavour it’s environment. A church that cannot play its role has lost its saltiness. Christ has chosen us to bring forth fruits and that our fruits should abide.”
While noting that the task of nation-building is endless, a journey and not a destination, he chargedbelievers to stand out and remain exemplary anywhere they are.
Obasanjo then advised Christians to bear the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
“Living in the world is not a bed of roses. Christ had told us there will be tribulations and hardships so that we can prepare ahead and just as he came out as a conqueror, we also will come out as conquerors,” he concluded.
Earlier, in his welcome speech, the General Overseer of GOFAMINT, Pastor (Dr) E. O. Abina, had recalled that during a visit to Aso Rock Chapel when Obasanjo was president, he met him teaching Sunday School, adding that when they both spoke on his arrival at the convention ground, the former president told him to his astonishment that he is still teaching Sunday School.
