The leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has emphasised the importance of Nigeria looking inward to address the hardship being experienced by its people.
He urged the government to stop taking foreign loans.
According to a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Wednesday, this was the key message shared by Ayodele during the 30th anniversary of his church on February 18, 2024.
“The Primate, who invited some governors and some high-class traditional rulers to the celebration, said, Nigeria is abundantly blessed with natural and human resources, which, if properly harnessed, should be enough to turn things around for the country.
“He reiterated that the government should desist from taking loans from the International Monetary Fund known as IMF Loan.
“On the contrary, he laid emphasis on the need to encourage local manufacturers by the government giving them adequate support, as this will weaken the Dollar, thereby going a long way to turn things around for the people,” the statement read.
Ayodele suggested that the Federal Government should transform the areas where Boko Haram hide into farmland to enhance state security.
According to him, taking this action would result in increased farm produce being sold at affordable prices.
“Primate Ayodele, however, warned that the policy for the creation of a state police may spell more doom than boom for Nigeria.
“INRI as he is popularly called, insisted that Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder and the importance of his messages now to the government for national growth cannot be emphasised enough,” the statement concluded.