Hardship: Match Prayers With Productivity, OAIC President Tells Nigerians
President of the Organisation of the African Instituted Churches (OAIC) Nigeria Region, His Eminence, Elder Israel Akinadewo, has asked Christians in Nigeria to match their prayers with productivity in order to overcome the present economic situation.
The OAIC President, also advised Christians not to be part of those who hurl curses at the leadership or keep complaining instead of devising solutions to the famine in the land.
Akinadewo, an Associate Professor of Accounting, University of Ilesa, Osun State, who also is the Supreme Head of the Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide (MCCSW), made the appeal on Friday during the OAIC Regional Executive Council Meeting held at the Church’s Headquarters, Mayfair, Epe Expressway, Lagos.
He urged Christians especially OAIC members to review secluding themselves in the name of prayers and other religious practices and activities that take economic time, thereby the likelihood of constituting liabilities to themselves and others.
He said it was high time they increased their efforts in legitimate and fruitful ventures to help their financial lives.
Akinadewo who decried the present happenings including the high cost of living, said, “Things are so tough. Let us arm ourselves with the mindset that at the end of the tunnel, there shall be light. I know that the light has come from the organisation.
“But I want to appeal to us. Nowadays, prayers alone don’t work.You must complement all these spiritual activities with productivity.
“If you are a prophet and want to sit down in church and expect somebody to come and pray.
“While you are inside or in seclusion, it is possible that the person that wants to give you contracts has contacted you and they could not reach you. Wisdom is profitable to direct.”
He further stated:”In this period of famine, do you know some people are becoming millionaires? During the COVID-19, all of us were running inside. We didn’t want to come out, the communication companies were making money.
“In every bad situation, God will always raise people that will become millionaires and billionaires. Let us use our wisdom to tap that message that God is passing to us.
“The message of exploration, taking our faith and aligning it with our productive lives.
“Behind my house, I have a small farm.I wake up every morning, if I didn’t travel, to attend to the plants. I have vegetables, I have tubers of yam and cassava. I wake up every morning to look at the vegetables.
“I take them home. When people complain of vegetables being expensive, I am not complaining because my productive life is mixed with my prayer life.”
Meanwhile in the paper he presented, he noted that it was important that the organisation walk in love and unity; and be repositioned for greatness.
Also, he emphasised the place of education in a contemporary world. He revealed that very soon, part of the criteria for OAIC leadership will be a minimum of Masters degree.
He also appealed to the members to always strike a balance by being open to policies (like the students loan) that are of positive impacts while being critical of obnoxious policies and practices including LGBTI/Q.
