The Bishop of the Ijumu Anglican Diocese, Church of Nigeria, Rt. Rev. Paul Olanrewaju Ojo, has called on Nigerians to remain steadfast in faith and support President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda despite the economic and security challenges confronting the country.
The cleric expressed optimism that Nigeria would overcome its current difficulties, urging citizens to trust God and give the administration more time to implement its policies.
Bishop Ojo made the appeal during the First Session of the Fifth Synod of the Diocese held at Ogale-Idioro in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The synod, themed Thanksgiving, brought together church leaders and delegates for spiritual renewal and discussions on the development of the Diocese.
Delivering his presidential charge, Bishop Ojo emphasized the importance of gratitude to God, describing thanksgiving as a pathway to greater blessings.
Speaking on national issues, he appealed to Nigerians to support President Tinubu, insisting that the administration is pursuing clearly defined policies aimed at improving the country.
I am a bishop, not a politician, but as a church leader and an educated person, I can say that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came into office with a clear agenda. Unlike some leaders who campaign without a clear manifesto, he presented his plans and is working towards achieving them, he said
The Anglican bishop particularly commended the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), describing it as a landmark programme that would expand access to tertiary education.
“He is the first President, to my knowledge, to introduce a programme like NELFUND. It is designed to support students and secure the future of education. I appeal to Nigerians to give him more time because he is laying foundations for both the present and future generations, he added.
Bishop Ojo also disclosed that construction work is progressing on the proposed Ijumu Anglican College of Nursing Sciences in Ogidi, calling on individuals and organisations to support the initiative.
According to him, the Diocese initially invested in agriculture because of the agrarian nature of the area, planting 1,000 palm trees on church-owned land before expanding into education.
We started with agriculture because this is an agrarian area. We planted 1,000 palm trees on church-owned land. Thereafter, we expanded into education by establishing nursery, primary and secondary schools. By God’s grace, the first school is operational, while the second has grown to the Junior Secondary School level,” he said.
The cleric revealed that the proposed College of Nursing Sciences would commence with Nursing and Midwifery programmes, with plans to eventually transform it into a University of Nursing Sciences.
“Our vision is to establish a world-class institution that will empower young people and contribute meaningfully to healthcare development. In the future, we hope to upgrade the college into a University of Nursing Sciences, he stated.
Also speaking at the event, the Provost of Kogi State College of Education, Ankpa, Dr. Paul Femi Fashagba, praised the Anglican Church for its contributions to education, peacebuilding and national development.
Meanwhile, the traditional ruler of Ogale, Oba Abdulrahaman Ibilola, expressed appreciation to the Diocese for choosing the community to host the synod, noting that it was the first time such an event had been held in the area since the Diocese was established.
The synod ended with prayers for peace, security and sustainable development across Nigeria.
