…As Primate Olabayo marks 80th birthday
Dapo Asaju, Bishop Theologian, Church of Nigeria, has called on the government to seek spiritual direction and guidance to avert all kinds of calamities.
“Governments should make the best use of the opportunity to ask for spiritual direction from fathers like this who have guided leaders in many generations in the past,†he said at the Colloquium organised to celebrate the 80th birthday of Theophilus Oluwasanu Olabayo, primate, Evangelical Church of Yahweh Worldwide, in Lagos.
The colloquium celebrates God for a life of faithful service, spiritual leadership, and lasting impact of the Primate on the Church and the nation.
According to Asaju, prophets are called by God to serve as a special agent and mouthpiece to specific generations in particular nations.
In a keynote address titled, ‘Shaping Prophetic and Spiritual Leadership for Global Impact: Celebrating the Legacy of Primate Theophilius Oluwasanu Olabayo at 80,’ said prophets are rare.
According to him, nations were able to carry out spiritual and social political reformation with the prophet guiding.
“Nations are directed; by a prophet, a nation is established. The only regret is Nigeria should only be where we are today with our father still alive.
“The prophet was the assurance policy over the nation,†Asaju said, adding that the prophet has the ability to see beyond the extraordinary.
He also disclosed that Olabayo currently occupied the office of a prophet, apostle, and primate. “Not just the office of a prophet, but the office of a seer.â€
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Asaju, who is also the bishop, Diocese of Ilesa, said life was a pilgrimage in destiny, and each person was born to fulfill a particular role in God’s overall plan for humanity.
According to him, no man or woman came to the world by mistake. “God is the author of the play. All of us are dramatists,†he said.
Oluwayemisi, Obashoro-John, assistant chaplain, Chapel of Light, University of Lagos, said the Church must foster moral leadership within Christian organisations in strengthening its watchman role of the society.
According to her, the Church must promote institutionally-based involvement in the social and political life of the nation.
Obashoro-John made this known during the second plenary with the topic, ‘The Church as a Watchman over Society: An Assessment of the Role of Christian Leaders in Nigeria’s Social and Political Experience.’
According to her, the Church must grow internal integrity and responsibility, by embracing ethics, public theology, and governance training.
The professor of Adult Education added that the Church must promote interfaith cooperation on the issue of conflict, extremism, and communal tensions.
Obashoro-John said that the Church in deepening its watchman role should develop evidence-based public advocacy, and drive intentional youth civic education.
She added that as watchmen, Christian leaders should be more involved in formal policy formulation processes in Nigeria.
“Nigeria is now faced with the Babylonians — a people without the fear of God; wicked, evil, and war-like, fierce, violent, aggressive; and full of corruption; opposed to what is God and good,†Obashoro-John said.
