Pastor Chinedu Ezekwesili of The Everlasting Arms Parish (TEAP), Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Garki, Abuja, has called for restructuring of the country, to ensure speedy development.
The Pastor, husband of ex-Minister, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, made the call on Friday at the Purposeful Men Symposium organised to mark his 70 birthday in Abuja.
The cleric said his dream at 70 was to see Nigeria become a super nation God had made it to be.
He said the country, as currently being managed, might not attain its full potential, hence the need to restructure for effective nation building.
According to him, Nigeria is like a troubled house with a faulty foundation, which can only be fixed by addressing the foundation and creating a new structure.
“The way we are running it, it cannot work; there is need to restructure this nation,” he said.
He said that there was a need for all to come together and agree on how to move as a nation.
“This is a country, not a nation; unless we come together and decide to move forward, we cannot move forward,” the pastor said.
He said that leaders, and not rulers, would take Nigeria to the right destination.
In his remarks, Pastor Tunde Bakare, the Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, said “there is a need for purposeful men to rise in the country”.
Bakare said there were people behind insecurity in the country and government at all levels needed to be purposeful in dealing with them.
He said the situation in the country would only get better when government purposefully dealt with people making money from crime.
Wife of the celebrator, Dr Oby Ezekwesili described the cleric as a super purposeful man to be emulated by the younger generation.
According to her, he does not live a meaningless life, as every second of the day must be meaningful and purposeful.
Ezekwesili, who is a former Minister of Education, said “when the purpose of something is not known, abuse is inevitable.
“When you see the abuse of relationship of family, it is because there is no understanding of purpose.
“What is the purpose of Nigeria and what is the purpose of the people; many societies asked that question, it enabled them to have the right conversation and they are better for it.
“There are many questions to be asked, and when we begin to find answers, we will begin to find our way out of the precipice,” she said.
Also speaking, former Minister of Information, Mr Frank Nweke Jr, described Mr Ezekwesili as a “super trooper.”
According to him, the cleric is a good man, a patriot, a philosopher that inspires, mentors, teaches everyone, a real father with uncommon wisdom.
The former minister also described him as extremely generous, adding that he often told the truth to power.
Nweke said Mr Ezekwesili had a dedicated team praying daily for Nigeria because he believed in the country and wanted it to turn around for good. (NAN)