Prophet S.K. Abiara is the General Evangelist of the Christ Apostolic Church worldwide. In this interaction with KEHINDE OYETIMI, he speaks on the state of the nation and the expectations of the church's annual programme tagged JESUS FESTIVAL.

For Prophet S. K. Abiara, the General Evangelist of the Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide, there was the need to sound it far and wide that the Nigerian populace could still be hopeful. While commenting on the annual Jesus Festival scheduled to commence tomorrow, he stated that the period in which the nation was, arrested the attention of the almighty God in choosing this year's theme of the festival: 'Don't Give Up.' Of course, many programmes have been scheduled to hold in various assemblies with the fact that the year was coming to an end, Abiara quickly stated that the annual festival started around the early 1980s with diverse results of the miraculous. 'Since we commenced the festival in the early 80's, we witnessed great ministers of the gospel coming to be part of the event. We have had revered ministers like Benny Hin, the late Benson Idahosa, Pastor Kumuyi and many others coming around. The power of God all through the years that the Jesus Festival has held has been tremendous. As we begin this year's edition, people should expect salvation, comfort and the miraculous,' he stated.

The choice of this year's theme, according to the prophet, was the leading of God which captured the present predicament of the Nigerian state. He argued that there was so much distress and disappointment across the nation, thereby resulting in the undesired. 'God laid this year's theme in my heart. There are many who are distressed. Everything appears frustrating. Unfortunately, many people assume that only the masses are distressed. Those at the helm of affairs are also tired of the present state of the nation.

'The instruction is coming at such a time as this that the country, its citizens and government must not give up. Even pastors and religious leaders must understand that this is not the time to give up on the project called Nigeria,' adding that it was at such periods that hope must rise and faith be lifted.

Reacting to the allegations that the umbrella body of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the federal government were doing below the expected on the issue of the Boko Haram insurgence, the prophet stated that it was not expected of Christians to carry arms in combating the crisis. According to him, 'We cannot say that the president does not know what is expected of him. But again, it is not a thing that he can handle by himself. The country needs the concerted efforts of everyone to tackle this problem.’

While agreeing that it was beyond the efforts of just the northern part of the country to stop the crisis, he opined that the problem was Satanic in concept and execution. For Abiara, 'I think the devil is using this to fight against the country. Clearly, the devil cannot use non-human elements to execute his disastrous plans against the country. All he needs is to use willing instruments to carry out his evil intentions. His desire is to permanently destabilise the country. It is left for us not to allow him.  We must gather and pray and pray so that the good Lord will change the mindset of this people. Or do you expect CAN to carry weapons?! Our weapon is prayer.'

Abiara condemned in strong terms the bid by the Western bloc to legalise same-sex marriage, just as he condemned the action of the British Prime Minister, Cameron, arguing that there was no need for the country to be afraid should the west stop in its aid to the country. 'If Europe, America and others decide to stop in their aids to Nigeria because we decided to kick against same-sex marriage, so be it. God is still on the throne. He still rules in the affairs of men. Same-sex marriage or union is a grave sin in the sight of God.

'By going against same-sex marriage, Nigeria is doing the will of God. The Bible only recognises the union of a man and a woman. The Bible condemns it so strongly. Britain or no Britain, God will help us as a nation since we are within the circumference of his will,' he stated.

When asked on the style of the governance of the president Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, especially with the condemnation following it by some quarters of the nation's populace, Abiara stated that one of the problems of the populace was impatience, just as he added that nobody was beyond criticism, 'even our Lord Jesus Christ was criticised despite the good works that he did.

'God placed the president there. We must be patient. How do you expect him to quickly repair what has been damaged for so many years in one day? If the weather is hot, complaints would follow. Whenever the weather is cold, people will complain. Let us be patient and help the president with prayers.’