By Gift Olivia Samuel, The Sight News
ABUJA—It was a dramatic scene Friday afternoon, when the Concerned Nigerian Christian’s Forum(CNCF), were shut out of the Banquet hall of the Presidential villa, which had earlier been scheduled as venue for the Nigeria Christian Summit 2019.
Thousands of Christians who were invited to the summit, were left stranded for hours due to what The Sight News later learnt to be “Logistics Problem”.
Meanwhile, a group of people were also left stranded for hours at the Unity Fountain— a location that was supposed to serve as pick up point for most people due to the security checks at the villa.
Some of the CNCF members who spoke to this reporter, revealed that the Banquet hall had been cleaned, decorated and was prepared a night before, in anticipation for the summit but they were shocked when the group was denied access to the venue few hours to time.
In the course of the event, some group of women gathered outside the Presidential banquet hall to pray, while they waited for feedback on the way forward.
However, after several hours of waiting which lasted from about 2 PM to 7 PM, the leadership of the CNCF defiled the odds and chose another venue—the National Broadcasting Commission(NBC) hall— which it used for the summit that attracted dignitaries from different parts of the country, as well as Europe and Canada.
In his welcome remarks, the Coordinator, CNCF, Isaac Balami, disclosed that the issue was ‘logistics problem’ and also, misinformation from some quarters.
According to Balami, “I want to clear the air on the logistics challenges we had today, as at yesterday in the evening as at this time, we were in the Presidential Banquet hall to set the hall, we did the decoration, we brought in the sound, we did everything but we never knew that one of the senior officers in the villa who lost his father just last week could not transmit a particular document to the person in charge but we had access to the villa and the banquet hall”.
He also noted, that the prayer summit was not a political agenda but was borne out of prophecy, which emphasized on the need to call for an emergency prayer for the leadership of Nigeria.
Balami, further said that it is the duty of Christians to pray for the leadership of the country, just as the Bible in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 instructed, so there can be love and peace, adding that as leaders, they have a responsibility to pray for the land.
He disclosed that the youth were worried about their future and about what will happen tomorrow, hence the need to gather together to pray for peace to reign in the country.
He added that the purpose of the gathering was to lay foundation, stating also that prayers can never be too much.
On his part, the Chaplain, Aso Villa Chapel, Pastor Joseph Malomo, expressed belief that heaven had recognised the gathering despite the hitches earlier recorded.
He thanked God for making the day possible and giving the people the spirit of resilience to withstand the situation.
Prayers were made for the country in the areas of forgiveness, reconciliation, national healing, unity, peace, thanksgiving and prayers for the youth.
In attendance were Ministers from Canada, Europe, traditional rulers from Gombe and Nasarawa states, representative of the Traditional Rulers Council, representative of Plateau state governor amongst others.
