My birth and home country Nigeria turned 64 today and I am sitting and smiling as I think of my late aunt whose name was ‘Nigeria’. If I tried to compare the country and the person, there will always be a great difference. We called her ‘Aunty Nigeria’ and as a little child, I often wondered why she was named after a country. But then, as I grew older, I guessed that she may have been born in 1960, the year Nigeria gained independence. We all simply got used to the name alongside her cheerful and giving personality. Sadly, I never got to ask her why she was named after her country.
Nigeria – a name derived from the River Niger running through the country and coined by a British journalist, Flora Shaw in 1897. Few years later, precisely October 1st, 1960, Nigeria gained her independence from Britain. And it has indeed been a long journey to 64 years. A lot has happened along the way and a lot is still yet to be accomplished.
Have we reached our full potential as a nation? Has our nation become a safe haven for its citizens to live, thrive and grow? Has our nation taken its rightful place as the ‘Giant of Africa’? Is our nation a true model of leadership, excellence and possibilities for the younger generation? All of these questions and more will keep begging for answers.
I was born 21 years after our nation’s independence and sadly nothing has really changed from that time to now. Sometimes, I feel like we have been running on a treadmill with no defined destination in mind. At other times, it feels like a woman who has remained pregnant and refused to birth its full potential. And I ask – when will our freedom come?
When will Nigerians start to benefit from the richness and fullness of the country God has blessed them with? When will the greed and corruption that has halted our progress and prosperity as a nation end across all levels and strata of society? When will the tribal wars and religious bigotry stop? When will wickedness, self-aggrandizement and the lust for power come to an end?
‘Good people. Great nation’, this was the slogan coined by the late Professor Dora Akinyuli as she and her team tried to capture the nation, Nigeria and its people in a memorable way. I believe she saw who we truly are as a people and our potential as a nation when those words were put together. We are a great nation with lots of good people in it. And even though the dream of a better Nigeria seems so far away, our hopes dashed on a daily basis and our desire for a better future crushed under the weight of failed leadership, we still choose to believe for a new and better Nigeria.
Today I will start by saying prayers for the citizens of Nigeria.
For those who have been left battered and wounded mentally, emotionally, financially and physically by their own country and its leadership over a span of many years.
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast”. – 1 Peter 5:10
Father, heal their minds and soul from every damage, despair and discouragement. Fill their hearts with courage and strength for every new day. Fill their hearts with hope and faith for every new day. Take discouragement far from them. Heal every wound and help them stand strong. Amen!
For those who have become captives of their own nation’s failed leadership and have chosen to become a part of the looters, destroyers and enslavers. I choose to pray also for the ones whose hearts have been captured by greed, wickedness and selfishness.
“Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord God. “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you.” – Ezekiel 18:30
“Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life. – Ezekiel 18:27
Heavenly father, I ask that you turn the hearts of these ones back to you. Show them the path to living a life that honors God and doing things God’s way. Liberate their minds from the corruption that is in the world and break the stronghold of Satan over their minds. Give them a servant’s heart that seeks to give and not to take. Help them turn from their wicked ways and lead them in paths of righteousness. Amen!
For the vulnerable amongst us – families, women and children who struggle each day to put food on the table and have a bleak future staring them in the face.
Dear Father, please show them your mercy and kindness. Let help come to them quickly. I pray for the sick, weak and broken – that healing will come speedily and light will shine through at the end of every dark tunnel. Send help and true helpers to encourage and support them through the dark days.
For those who are fast losing hope and wonder what will become of their tomorrow – children, parents, families, business owners and those work hard daily to provide for their loved ones.
Father, you are the God of all hope. Turn their eyes to see you in the midst of the mountains of life. Take away every for of anxiety and help them know that you are in full control of their lives. May they find the courage to keep trusting you even when it seems hopeless. Renew their hope Lord, let them know that even though the seasons change, you are an unchanging God whose faithfulness abides forever. Amen!
A Heartfelt Prayer for Nigeria
Weeping may endure for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. – Psalm 30:5b
Father, we ask that your light shines upon our nation. May every dark cloud hovering over our nation shift. May our country rise from the ashes of despair and hopelessness. May your peace fill every nook and cranny of our nation.
May righteousness prevail within our borders and the wickedness come to an end. May strongholds of oppression and stagnation be destroyed. May the heart of its people find its way back to God. May they be filled with love and compassion for one another. May our leaders have the will and courage to truly serve its people and not be served.
May oppression be far from our land and mercy speak on our behalf. May the actions and inactions of our leaders and people be forgiven. May our children/youth find hope for their future and courage to dream again. May our glorious destiny be redeemed and our glory restored. May freedom come and God’s truth prevail.
May God be gracious unto us as a nation and people and bless us indeed. May his mercy and justice reign across the land. May we proper and flourish on every side. May we arise and shine. May God bring us into a place of peace, love, unity and prosperity. May our story as a nation be rewritten for good. May God be seen in our midst and the light of his glory shine upon us and give us victory. Amen!
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