Among other things as directed by the Bridegroom – The Christ, you – the Church at Nigeria – are established to promote righteousness in the land, to be an example of accountability and to demand accountability, to promote godly law and order, to be the voice of the oppressed, to cater for the poor in the society, and to be the shining light to the world and the salt of the earth in Nigeria, by showing good examples. You are established to be a force in making Nigeria a pride of the Black race and to end the oppression of the Black race worldwide. And that is why your Bridegroom has allowed you to spread all around the world, to foreign lands, even to the places where the word of salvation was originally brought to you. The Bridegroom made it so for you to spread around the world that you might utilize both local and foreign resources to better the lots of the Nigerian people. Would you not pay attention to this, and do the right thing?

You have done well in spreading the Word across the globe. It is time for you to be a dedicated agent of a new and prosperous Nigeria. Those races who have forsaken the Bridegroom, and have embraced waywardness and immorality because they are now filled, will come to your land to worship God again. They will not come to enslave you, but to be your equal partners. They will see the glory of God shining through you, into your land, and they will glorify your God.

However, over the years, due to your lackluster attitudes to pay close attention to how you are being governed by earthly authority, you have contributed to the failing of the Nigerian society and the failing of successive governments, forgetting that you are to raise priests and kings. You have focused more on secular businesses as against using the Word of God to promote righteousness and morals in the land, to rebuke bad behaviors and misdemeanors. Especially, knowing that the government controls a lot of resources to better the lots of your members, and knowing that corrupt politicians are holding the destinies of the people in their hands. You were made to believe that the state and the church should be separated, forgetting that was not the Lord’s original plan for His people until they rejected prophet Samuel and asked for a king. The country that once colonized your land paid attention to the importance of the Church and the Word of God in enacting their laws, and in shaping righteousness in their land, even though they are now embracing sins. It is your turn to realize your importance in creating a better nation.

You have prioritized your desires for earthly materials and prosperity of few over the calling of the Bridegroom for you to be priest and the king – to promote righteousness for Nigeria to be exalted. Corrupt politicians - unbelievers will build worship centers in their houses and call their priests to lead worships. Some even build worship centers for the community. Many from proceeds of corruption. Similarly, corrupt politicians – nominal – Christians among you would donate to church buildings, and you will create seats for them in the front rows. How then are you a shining light to the world and a salt of the earth as your Bridegroom commanded you? Your Bridegroom hopes you have learnt a lesson from this Covid-19 pandemic, that the physical building is not the Church but the people who are called to salvation. You must be the light of the world, and the salt of the earth.

You have disproportionately preached prosperity while your people are getting poorer in the midst of plenty. Shouldn’t you inquire of the Lord, what you should now do? Many of your leaders are building business empires for themselves and their children with the tithes and offering from corrupt politicians, and the little contributions from the many poor congregants. The Bridegroom is warning those leaders so they don’t end up like Eli. It is time for you to pay attention to the word of God and re-order your priority. The Lord’s mission is to raise many prophets, apostles and leaders like – Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Nathan, Isaiah, Daniel, Paul, Peter among you, who will boldly speak the truth to power, and will present themselves as kings to deliver Nigeria. It is not that the Lord is not listening to your prayers and paying attention to your faith in Him, but the Lord wants you to add works to your faith. Too many resources to make people comfortable are being squandered by both the nominal Christian and non-Christian corrupt politicians in government, and you are looking on! It is time for you to act more as you continually pray.

The latest CAMA law in Nigeria is an avenue used by your Bridegroom to get your attention – the Church at Nigeria. Would you not know it? You are now called to order, for a unity of purpose among you, and for you to take your rightful place in making Nigeria great as ordained by God. The Church at Nigeria must show herself worthy of being called a charity organization and being accorded a tax-exempt status by the government. A major way of doing so is by providing community services such as creating, and managing-effectively, food banks, providing for the poor, orphans, widows, and those inflicted by natural disasters, among other good works. You must discourage politicians using such good works as tools for electoral campaigns. You must do it as Christ did for diverse people without discrimination. Take a look at the Churches in the UK, USA, and Canada, they obey laws provided by the authorities to guide their activities as charity organizations with tax exempt status. They keep records of their members’ tithes and offerings, and donations for up to 3 to 7 years in case the government – tax agencies ask for them. They are interested in what their members do, and how they earn their income, that the Church will not benefit from the proceeds of stealing. Their members enjoy tax credits from the government for all the donations, tithes and offerings they pay to the Church. Governments also rely on the Church to assist with helping the needy in the society. It is a win-win situation for society.

Therefore, your Bridegroom is telling you - the Church at Nigeria to preach more moral values and righteousness to society for the Lord to exalt the nation of Nigeria. To do more good works, and drive godly laws and order in Nigeria. It is the most important message your Bridegroom is giving you at this time. You are not doing enough, you should do more. Embrace the CAMA law with an open mind and as an opportunity to regulate yourself, and to be a shining example to the perennially unaccountable and corrupt Nigerian government. If you desire that any law be amended, you can sponsor amendments by working with the national assembly. It is your responsibility to sponsor godly laws. This is also an opportunity for you – the Church at Nigeria, to hold the government accountable for every kobo spent from the National treasury. Your Bridegroom is calling you as the bride to do so, and He wants to use you as an agent to establish a better Nigeria very soon. Let the discerning leaders of the Church at Nigeria hear the word of the Lord and work together in unity of purpose. Your time has come to shine light into the darkness in the land.

• Olarinre Salako writes from the United States