By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Provost, ECWA Theological Seminary (ETSI), Igbaja in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state, Dr. John Olu Adetoyese, has rued the dire financial situation Nigeria is currently facing, with inflation at its highest, blaming this and other challenges facing the country on bad governance.
Speaking at the 58th Graduation Ceremony of the institution, the Provost said Nigerians knew that good governance is lacking in the nation, but they only chose to pursue primitive and primordial inclinations such as ethnicity, religion, regionalism, and money, among others, which, regrettably, have remained the bane of the country.
He said: “2023 is offering another hope and chance of correcting the wrong course of this nation. We (Christians) are the true light and we must be active in the leadership selection process next year. Those who are enlightened should guide others in the way they should vote because the first step to good governance is choosing the right people to lead.”
Dr. Adetoyese, who said the finances of the institution are shrinking because of the financial challenges ravaging the country, lamented that many of their students are increasingly finding it hard to pay their fees, saying that has been the major source of income of the institution.
He said: “Although, we are trying our best to improve on the internally generated revenue of the school which was why we went into farming, the things we need urgently to mitigate decay are far more than what we can meet on our own.”
To the graduands, the Provost charged them to jealously guard what has been entrusted to their care and turn away from godless characters, as well as the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in the process have wandered from the faith.
“Virtues and biblica†’l treasures that have been committed into your hands need to be guarded jealously. Do not trade the biblical truth for the mundane pleasures of this world such as money, popularity, power, fame and earthly glory. More so, it has reached me from different sources that some pastors with seminary education lack moral character. The only parameter to measure your spirituality is not your spiritual gift but your good character.”
In his speech, the Guest Lecturer, Rev. Dr. Azaki Nash, charged Christians in the country to look critically at the manifestos of all the political parties before casting their votes, urging them not to overburden those in positions of authorities with unnecessary demands. He added that the Church should be the political light of the country by their active involvement in politics.
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