Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau has warned religious leaders to shun propagating hate speech and the spread of fake information for the sake of peace and unity of the country.
Lalong gave the warning at the Annual Prayer Conference of Chaplains of State Houses in Jos on Thursday, September 23, 2021.
The governor, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr Jeremiah Werr, said religious leaders could not afford to politicise the pulpit and make it a platform for attacks.
“The situation where some religious leaders have resorted to propagation of hate speech and spread of fake information must be avoided for the sake of peace and unity of the country.
“Religious leaders cannot afford to politicise the pulpit and make it a platform for attacks which end up weakening the church and bringing the body of Christ to disrepute,” he said.
Lalong said religious leaders had the responsibility of ensuring that the society moved forward, adding that they had the mandate of speaking the truth especially to those in power.
He said Chaplains in Government Houses must shun sycophancy and attempt to bury truth for monetary gains.
The governor assured citizens of government’s continued efforts to ensure that peace returned to the state.
Yakubu Pam, the executive secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, NCPC, in an admonishment urged politicians to hand over their political ambition to God ahead of 2023.
Pam urged them to stop internal wrangling that would cause division in the country.
“For us to have peace in Nigeria, we must advise our politicians to link up their ambition to God.
“No matter how you hate an individual, if God says he will be in leadership position, no one can stop it.
“The trouble we are having now is because 2023 is coming and some people are not looking up to God.
“Look at the struggle and the competition that is going on, some people are planning for 2023 and have forgotten about death,” he said.
Pam encouraged Chaplains across the country to always pray for state governors to enable them to take firm decisions on how to move the country and their respective states forward.
Also speaking, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Plateau, Rev. Polycarp Lubo urged the Chaplains to be courageous enough to rebuke state governors when they were not doing the right thing.
Lubo said Chaplains were spiritual guides to governors and urged them to do their jobs passionately to assist them in taking decision in the interest of the nation.
Source: Vanguard
