A MESSAGE BY REV. LUKE SHEHU, CHAIRMAN AREWA CHRISTIAN S AND INDIGENOUS PASTORS ASSOCIATION (ACIPA) AT THE FIRST PLATEAU NIGERIA SOLEMN PRAYER AND WORSHIP CONVOCATION ON THURSDAY 9TH APRIL, 2020 AT THE TEKAN CONFERENCE HALL, JOS, PLATEAU STATE

Calvary greetings in Jesus name as I acknowledge with gratitude the Holy Spirit for inspiration and the vision for annual solemn Worship and Prayer to bring down God’s glory on Plateau  Nigeria.

This morning my attention was drawn over the need to change our venue from the initial Headquarters Church to be used as a result of the government lock-down. We have to make sudden relocation and adjustment to the TEKAN Headquarters Conference Hall.

We wish to specifically thank those who helped to make todays event a success in-spite of the spiritual and physical pitfalls. While appreciating the apologies of Rev. Dr. Yakubu Pam and Rev. Dr. Soja Bewarang CAN Chairman 19 Northern States and CAN Chairman Plateau State respectively, I also wish to thank the Guest Speaker Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo who is unavoidably absent.

We thank Rev. Dr. Tony Udeh who on short notice gave the exhortation
The role of the media, which by no means cannot be underestimated by the Church, is highly commendable and appreciated.
The theme:  Gods Glory in Nigeria by His Spirit through Service was divinely drawn from the theme of COCIN  Faithfully Serving God  1 Corinthians 15:19 and the Theme of ECWA,  Not by Power or Might,.. but by the Spirit of God  Zachariah 4:6.

Todays event is instructive as its prophetic. Less than twenty four hours ago was the first day of Passover (Pesach) in the Jewish calendar and today our event is connected to the Passover.
 For us as Christians obedience is better than sacrifice (I Sam. 15:22) Therefore, we have to strike a balance. While carrying out Gods prophetic mandate. We had to work within the frame-work of government regulations on the corona virus pandemic. While the corona virus pandemic has further exposed the weakness and limitations of humans as mere mortals, we plead for Grace and Mercy especially when the church has been. Subjugated or compromised. Christian’s both clergies and laity have either become government apologists or the proponents of scientific or intellectual discourse on the pandemic, global lock-down of economy and worship. Thus, we have abdicated and denied the power of the blood of Jesus and the place of the Cross at Calvary.

We shall leave posterity to decide on the merits or de-merits of the Plateau State government to impose a seven days lock down from today Thursday 9th April, the eve of Good Friday.
We are aware that some are pundits while others may be skeptics; however, we choose not to be drawn into the politics, science or academic justification through semantics or rhetoric.

We commend the initiative and process put in place by the Lagos state government with regards to curbing the corona pandemic and their palliatives to the poor and vulnerable. Unfortunately while appreciating the effort of our medical personals, those on the frontline on the Nigerian medical Association, the Federal Government and a number of other states have left Nigerians doubting their sincerity on the level of preparedness to protect Nigerians.
While countries like Rwanda, and Kenya have taken measures to provide for the basic needs of her citizens with scientific precision out of Nationalism and patriotism, majority of Nigerians have been left to their fate.
As a matter of urgency the Accountant General of the Federation should give details and account for the N2.9 Billion Integrated payroll and personnel information system (IPPIS) to Nigerians.

The ministry of Humanitarian services and disaster management should account state by state, and by each local government how N50 Billion was shared.

Nigerians Minister of Finance must account for and return to the treasury what belongs to Nigerians from our common National Sovereign wealth.

The 8th April fire that burnt a part of the Treasury house in Abuja when questions are being asked is highly suspicious. Nigerians are watching. There shall be an indictment and culpability on the Executive as much as on the Legislative should they fail to carry out their over sight functions.

 We call on the Federal and State Government to institute an independent probe into the disbursement and use of all funds associated to the corona virus pandemic at all levels.
In conclusion, we call on government at all levels and especially the security operatives to be mindful of more security challenges from the terrorists and Fulani militia. The recent attack leading to the killing of an ECWA pastor in Bassa, Plateau State is unacceptable.
Government and security operatives must wake up in view of the plan by Fulani militia and terrorist to carry out further attack.

As one of our special prayer today is for the release of Leah Sharibu and other abducted, we  wish to reiterate that the witchcraft and ocultic altar associated to the altar against their release and that is responsible for terrorism has been exposed. We are only waiting for the manifestations of Gods glory over the affairs of Nigeria. 

Again, we acknowledge with gratitude to God those who believed and shared in the faith of our vision and revelation for this first Plateau  Nigeria solemn worship and prayer convocation to bring down Gods glory to Plateau and Nigeria.

“If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land II Chronicles 7:14.

 We pray that the blood of the lamb will heal our land as we celebrate the Passover that heralded the blood on the Cross.
Happy blessed Easter in Jesus Name.

Rev. Luke Shehu
ACIPA Chairman.