From Jimoh Ahmed, Owo

Unless urgent and effective steps are taken to curtail the effects of the current economic situation in the country, Nigeria may witness an uncontrollable rise in crime while the poor will remain poor, and the middle class may face extinction.

The Diocesan Bishop of Owo, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, The Rt Revd Ayodeji Fagbemi, declared this in his charge delivered to the third session of the 14th Synod of the Church held at St. Stephen’s Church, Ipele, Owo Local Government, on Friday.

Rt. Revd Fagbemi posited that Nigeria has become “a harder place to live in,” as evidenced by the fact that many people are leaving the country for greener pastures, often finding themselves in difficult situations where they fled to.

While noting that the economic situation is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, Dr. Fagbemi clarified that advanced countries were able to withstand it as a result of long-term economic policies.

According to him, those countries help their citizens cope by providing incentives, jobs, and dynamic government policies that are mindful of the people’s plight.

The Bishop stated that the situation in Nigeria is quite the opposite. Despite the economic quagmire, Nigeria continues to borrow while “the political class is not undergoing any serious economic adjustment, with their monthly take-home being humongous, which is a shameless disregard for the plight of their electorate.”

Commenting on the new minimum wage, Rt. Revd Fagbemi, who agreed with a decent salary for workers, said a huge one will not solve the current economic problem but will complicate the already weak and complex economy of the country.

He, therefore, called on the government to step in to control the prices of commodities, stating that only when there is stability in market prices can inflation be controlled.

While commending the government for its commitment to making the refineries work, the Bishop of Owo Anglican Diocese called for them to be made fully functional. He urged President Tinubu and his economic team to work harder at diversifying the economy.

Similarly, he wants the government to do more on security as most farmers still cannot go to their farms for fear of being kidnapped. He particularly mentioned Owo and Ifon areas of Ondo State where kidnapping is still a threat to the people.

Turning to Ondo State, Rt. Revd Fagbemi, while congratulating the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa, on becoming the flag bearer of his party, the APC, charged him to unite his party and preserve the enviable and good legacies of his late boss, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON.

He also charged the Governor with ensuring that the 33 LCDAs in the state remain, as their creation has given joy and hope to the people who expect that governance will be brought to their doorsteps.

On the 14th Synod, Fagbemi said the theme, “Walking In The Light Of His Word: Recipe For Spiritual Growth,” is intended to build on the theme of last year’s Synod.

He disclosed that the theme is a very important one that calls for self-examination, and as such, everyone must ask whether the word is dwelling in them and whether their life is patterned after the word of God.

According to him, “the bane of society in this modern era is the large number of people who prefer to be Christians but are far from a genuine understanding of the word.”

This year’s edition attracted many highly placed individuals, traditional rulers, clergymen, and people from all walks of life and Christendom.

In his message to the Synod, the Olowo of Owo, Oba (Dr.) Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, while congratulating the Diocese for a successful event, urged them to be steadfast in their spiritual and religious journey while holding on to the cord of God.

Oba Ogunoye congratulated the Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Revd Fagbemi, for his exemplary leadership, not only in the spiritual sphere but also in the national arena.