By Folusho Olanrewaju, Special Correspondent, Akure
Regional Overseer (Africa) of The Apostolic Faith Church, Rev Paul Akazue, wants the Federal Government to ban American lottery visa in Nigeria, warning that it is a new devise to enslave Africans.
Speaking at a church service to mark this years? Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council, in Akure at the weekend, the cleric described those scampering away from the country to live in the developed countries of Europe and America as \'bastards\'.
According to the cleric, who described God as being a Nigerian, anybody running away from Nigeria to live elsewhere, \"is running away from God.\"
Describing the American visa lottery as the new version of the trans-atlantic slave trade, Akazue, whose church has its origin and headquarters in Portland, Oregon, United States, said: \"If I have my way, I will ban American lottery visa in this country. Why do you struggle to go to America?
\"They are sifting the creme of our nation, the enlightened ones. They look at their credentials, their ability, their skill and carry them away in order to strengthen their economy. If you are a failure, illiterate, possess no skill, you are not given any migrant visa. Why are our people doing this (migrating at all cost), going into voluntary exile and slavery?,\" he queried.
According to the cleric, \"It has got so bad. When they identify the geniuses among our people there, people with brains, they hole them up there. You can\'t even visit your family, they will say, don\'t worry, we will bring them down here.\"
The Apostolic Faith Church regional leader added, \"when they get there, they do jobs they can\'t do here. We fought hard for our independence but we are now forcing ourselves into voluntary slavery. The Israelites were forced into slavery in babylon (that represents every evil) yet they did not compromise their nationality. They were asking: how can we sing the Lord\'s song in a strange land?\"
Sounding so patriotic, the pastor declared, \"Nigeria shall not be forsaken. It shall be well with our country. Nigerians are living in a land flowing with milk and honey. but the devil, the enemy of our souls, is making us to hate our fatherland.\"
taking a swipe at western culture which he tagged \'morally bankrupt\', the cleric wondered how somebody would want to live in societies with warped culture like homosexualism, \"the height of sacriledge.\"
\"Those who condemn Nigeria are bastards. The country and the African continent is going to be great. God is a Nigerian. Nigerians are a resourceful people. You can eat and plant anything here, it would grow. God loves Nigeria, we have a good weather. Some want to flee to countries where they would be slaves. Just because we have some rogues does not mean Nigeria is bad,\" he further stressed.
Counselling journalists, Akazue urged them to continue their push for the truth, despite the hazards of the profession.
He also warned Nigerians against the scourge of tribalism and nepotism, saying it could lead to the disintegration of the country.
http://odili.net/news/source/2004/dec/14/417.html
