Chairman of the LAWNA Territory of The Apostoloc Church, Ketu, Lagos, Pastor Gabriel Uyeh has decried the state of Nigeria’s economy while also noting that there is leadership deficit in the country.
Uyeh made the observation at press conference on Thursday July 31 to flag off the church’s 49th convention billed for August 2-4
About LAWNA Territory
The LAWNA Territory is one of the six territories of The Apostolic Church in Nigeria.
It has 189 Areas cutting across the states of the South West zone, Edo and Delta States, North Central, North East, and North West zones.
The territory has missionary fields in Cote D’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Uganda, North America, Niger Republic, Lesotho and Canada.
But the parent church is reputed to be the first pentecostal church in Nigeria. It dates back to 1918 when it started as Precious Stone Society and later Diamond Society at the Our Savior’s Anglican Church, Ijebu Ode thus becoming the first Pentecostal movement in the country.
It has since metamorphosed from Diamond Society to Faith Tabernacle and then The Apostolic Church after its affiliation with The Apostolic Church of Britain. The Christ Apostolic Church pulled out of it in 1940 following disagreement over faith healing.
The theme of the 2025 convention for the LAWNA Territory is ‘I Know thy works.’
Nigeria”s economy
Uyeh who addressed journalists at the church’s premises alongside some of the principal officer of the church said, “No doubt, there appears to be a leadership deficit in the country today given the hardship and trauma that pervades the land.
“Our political class rather than uniting to find plausible solutions to the multifarious problems of the country are busy fighting over 2027.
“Yet people are dying of hunger. There is much agony, hunger and misery in the land. The insecurity remains unabated. Farmers in Benue and Plateau states, widely recognized as the food baskets of the country and in fact most states of the South West not to talk of the North East are finding it difficult to go to farms.”
Judgement is coming
He reminded politicians to bear in mind that “a day of reckoning is coming which is not just the Election Day but the judgement day when we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ.”
According to him, God knows the work of every individual whether they do good or bad. “He knows those who are serving the people with sincerity of hearts, and those who are doing so just to accumulate wealth for their children’s’ children.” He said, adding that they will all be brought to judgment one day.
Nigerians wake up
He called on all Nigerians irrespective of tribe or religious affiliations to wake up to the consciousness that they have contributions to make if Nigeria will be better.
While promising that the church on her part will not relent in upholding and speaking the truth as well as praying for the country, he said, “The Government should live up to its responsibility of providing security and good governance for the people. It should make good and affordable food a priority.”
The clergy man acknowledged the reports that the Gross Domestic Product GDP of the country has increased remarkably following the rebasing of the economy..
He said however that “this has not been visible on the standard of living of average Nigerians. “The cost of living is not only high it is killing the poor. There is hardly any productive sector of the economy that is not feeling the pain. In essence, the fundamental problem of the country appears to be defying economic solution”
He urged government to look at alternative way out of the economic woes the nation has found itself. “Government must address this with love and compassion. It should listen more to the sociopolitical aspirations of the people to stop the uneasiness and mistrust in the land.”
What LAWNA is doing
Uyeh said the church on its part has been contributing meaningful to the social and economic emancipation of the society.
He said the Lord gave the territory the RAISE Agenda vision at the inception of his administration which he said is being faithfully implemented.
“Apart from our call to preach the gospel, we have been impacting the physical and material needs of the people through our Prison Ministry and Widowed Persons Initiatives. We have also been providing employments for our numerous youth through our business ventures, not only at the LAWMNA Territorial headquarters but across many of our Areas in Lagos metropolitan, Ibadan, Warri etc.”
He said the church is presently building a healthcare institution that will be inaugurated in no distant time.
He added,.“We continue to build the capacity of our ministers and workforce through seminars and training and in particular attending to their welfare.
“We have recently significantly increased their welfare package in spite of the economic downturn and instability. We trust in our God to increase the purse of the Church to sustain the measures.” Uyeh said.
Reform in TACN
Part of the ongoing reform in the church is its new retirement policy, which at LAWNA is also being implemented gradually.
He said the implementation shall be completed in 2026 with the last set of ministers above 75 years of age going on voluntary retirement.
Uyeh said, “I must emphasize that I am deeply committed, and would go on retirement too; my responsibility is to oversee the implementation, and that would be completed next year.”
He urged public to joint the church in its anniversary which starts on Saturday August 2 by 2pm
