Methodist Church in Nigeria urges Christians to pray for peace

Leaders call on faithful to reject strife and act selflessly

Religious strife is tearing Nigeria apart and Christians should play their part in helping the nation heal by turning the other cheek and praying for peace, according to the Methodist Church Nigeria.

"There is a need for Christians to be patient with those who irritate them the most and stop being self-centered," Adeolu Odugbemi said at the recently held 24th Synod of the church.

"For any nation to live right, it must strive for peace and holiness, because where there is envy and strife, there is confusion and evil. Anybody who raises strife is of the devil," he was quoted as saying by vanguardngr.com.

Nigeria has been beset with Christian-Muslim strife for half a century. It is now struggling with an insurgency led by extremist group Boko Haram, which aims to impose strict Sharia law on its northern regions.

Bishop Isaac Ayo Olawuyi of the Lagos Mainland Methodist Church of Nigeria ended the Holy Communion service at the meeting by praying for peace across the nation, the media reported.

Sir Bolaji Onabadejo, the diocesan lay president, pointed to the dangers posed by extremist groups and a recent spate of attacks by Nigerian herdsmen on villagers of other faiths.

"We are aware of Boko Haram and the herdsmen's killings, maiming and burning down homes in villages across the country. These are signs of a lack of peace," he said.

Odugbemi said Christians should prioritize love and humility.

"Christians should kill the spirit of war that some people are trying to raise. [They] should not be an initiator of any crisis by opening the doors of confusion through their statements," he added.

The Methodist Church Nigeria has been at the forefront of spiritual and social transformation in the country. It advocates spiritual holiness by investing in the social-economic welfare of the people.