Partnership between traditional institutions and faith-based organisations will reduce kidnapping, President, United Apostolic Church of Christ (UACC) worldwide, Dr James Bayo-Owoyemi, said in Ado-Ekiti on Friday.
Such partnership will also reduce restiveness, banditry and other vices bedevilling the society, he said when he led a delegation of the church to visit Ewi Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Aladesanmi III.
“A partnership between traditional rulers as the custodians of the peoples’ traditions and the Church, as a moral authority and regulator will enhance good conduct in the people, especially in youths.
“Such character moulding partnership will enable the Church and the rulers to confide in each other on ways to achieving a better society.
“It will influence good leadership choices as people with unworthy characters will be disallowed to become state actors from the community level thereby checking bad leadership and its burden of uncertainty,” he said.
Dr Bayo-Owoyemi, also the General Overseer of UACC frowned at the high rate of restiveness, kidnapping and banditry in Ekiti State.
He expressed regrets that prime lives had been lost to the vices and that they negated God’s plan for humanity.
He argued that since both the Church and community leaders were in the business of human management, a partnership of the two was essential to guide people’s character formation.
He added that if the Church got the support of traditional rulers, people would be one another’s keepers and vices would be eliminated.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bayo-Owoyemi was in Ekiti State to seek support from the traditional institutions for UACC.
The preacher, while soliciting the support for gospel propagation in the state said that the gospel of Jesus Christ is for peace and for the development of mankind.
Responding, Ewi Adeyemo-Adejugbe, said every institution needed to be alert to its functions in order to restore peace in the society in the face of increasing uncertainties.
The traditional ruler expressed delight at the church leader’s visit and pledged support to the church.
NAN reports that Dr Bayo-Owoyemi also visited the Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, Oba Joseph Arojojoye II, Obanla of Ijesha Isu-Ekiti, Oba Gabriel Ojukutu II and the paramount ruler of Egbe-Oba Ekiti, Oba James Adewumi-Ajibade.
Other traditional rulers he visited were the Elemure of Emure-Ekiti, Oba Emmanuel Adebowale-Adebayo and the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu.
NAN also reports that there was jubilation in all parishes of the church visited as congregants expressed gladness to see their new president.
An elated Bayo-Owoyemi blessed the worshippers and tasked them to remain steadfast in God.
The week-long visit to Ekiti State which began on Tuesday would culminate in a revival and Trustees meeting in Ikere Local Government Area of the State with a special Thanksgiving service on Sunday. (NAN)
