Date: 2016-10-01

Muslims and Christians in Kwara State have said a divine intervention was needed to address Nigeria's current economic crisis and guide the nation's leaders. The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Mohammed Salihu, called for collaboration between all the tiers of government to end the current hardship in the country.

He called on Nigerians to continue to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari and all political leaders. He spoke during an Independence Jumat service at the Ilorin Central Mosque on Friday.

The General-Secretary, Kwara State branch of Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Rotimi Ibitoye, lauded the nation's leaders for providing what he described as peaceful leadership. He spoke at the 56th Nigeria's Independence Anniversary service, organised by the state government in conjunction with CAN, at the First Evangelical Church of West Africa in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

Ibitoye said, "After many battles against insurgents in the North-East of the country, God has given Nigeria victory; kudos to the Nigerian Army and our leaders. The present militancy and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta area is bad. We are praying earnestly that these shall become things of the past."

The state Deputy Governor, Mr. Peter Kisira, who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Bamidele Adegoke, during the Christian prayers, said the anniversary called for sober reflection. Kisira said, "We must consciously evaluate ourselves on where we are coming from; where we are and where we want to be.

"It is common knowledge that the economic recession the nation is witnessing today is unprecedented in its life. This should be an enduring lesson for us to identify where we got it wrong and make the needed corrections for this generation and for posterity."