Cosmas Ilechukwu, the national secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), spoke with John Salau on his role as the national secretary of the Fellowship and what the body is currently doing to help Nigerians cope with the cost-of-living crisis. Ilechukwu, who is also the general overseer and presiding bishop of Charismatic Renewal Ministries Worldwide, also urged Nigerians to always support one another especially on the back of the current socio-economic realities of the country. Excerpts:
How has the experience been since you assumed office as the national secretary of PFN?
It has been very exciting, relating with so many people across the country with a supportive president, and an executive that is willing to participate in our planning. So, it has been a good experience.
So, has there been any impact on your ministry?
Of course; certainly, there will be an impact because it takes me out of my ministry a lot of time. But that is nothing to complain about. God is raising some other people to take my place, and make sure I don’t have any problem to complain about.
PFN was critical about the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC before the last election: And, since the election the PFN has been silent about the government. Is this a way of holding to your pre-election position?
I think we have passed the issue of election and we should let it be in the past. What we are grabbing with now is how to encourage people who are going through a survival crisis; that is where our interest lies now. We have put the election behind us and we are looking to help Nigerians survive.
What are the coping strategies you think Nigerians can adopt?
Well, the first thing is that we should all under whatever condition keep hope alive. Even though the light in the tunnel seems to be very tiny – we are not sure of what is going to happen next; but we are still confident that God who is in heaven can still help people. Somehow God will give us a leeway out. So, I encourage people to keep hope alive, continue to trust God, and then support one another. If you have, share with your neighbours – shared love is the core of Christianity. This is the time everybody must support one another and make sure that we all keep alive until we enter the Promised Land by God’s grace.
Would it be a better time for PFN to lead the charge with providing palliative for the people?
PFN is doing more than that. We don’t go to the public to advertise. If I give food to my family; will I go on the radio to announce that I give my wife money to shop for food for my children? PFN doesn’t talk too much – we do our thing in-house and let God take glory.
When should we expect the inauguration of the new PFN chairman in Lagos?
The inauguration will take place very soon. It’s just that the president has been very busy – that is what delayed it; otherwise, there is no problem. Everything is in order and the inauguration will soon take place in the next couple of weeks.
But we understand some of the province chairmen and members are not happy with the outcome of the last election?
Well, I am not aware and I haven’t heard of anybody saying he wasn’t happy with the election because the election was done as transparently as ever. Nothing was hidden, everybody was there; they saw how things went. So, PFN is not a political party. We do things with impeccable honesty and sincerity. Everything was done in the open – if somebody is not satisfied, that is the person’s business; we are not backing out of what we have done so well.
Finally, what is your advice to Nigerians, especially with the current socio-economic realities?
Well, my advice to Nigerians is to continue to trust God and to trust ourselves. Let us stop fighting with each other; let’s learn to accommodate one another, especially in this time of hardship. People are angry, but let’s not vent our anger on one another, rather let’s give support and helping hands to one another while looking onto God that something good will happen somewhere along the line – I don’t know when, I don’t know how; but we must keep hope alive
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