…gives stewardship of 10-year service
Primate of The First African Church Mission (Worldwide), His Eminence, The Most Rev. Sunday Oludare Matilukuro, JP, has attributed the insecurity situation in Nigeria to few selfish compatriots who are arming and protecting the bandits.
He said while some Nigerians are pushing for the prosecution of these bandits, some others are asking for their protection, adding that it is no wonder that the criminals are more equipped than our soldiers who are sent to battle them.
The Primate, in a valedictory press conference held in Lagos, raised an alarm that Nigeria is seriously under-policed and advised government to urgently deploy the use of technology in fighting the fledging insecurity.
“We cannot survive as a country of over 200 million people with just 400,000 policemen, it is totally against the United Nation’s standard, what is the strength of our military, the Army, Navy and the Airforce put together, if not for the pressure that is on now, to what extent have you employed the use of technology in fighting this insecurity”, he said.
When asked why religious leaders appear complacent in speaking to government on the menace of insecurity, Matilukuro allege that most media houses publish what government wants to hear. He gave an instance of an interview he granted to a television station where the station allegedly blacked out where he criticized the government and went on air with the portion where he praised government.
He also warned: “In our attempt to speak to the authority, we (the clergy) must also be conscious of our limitations because the scripture tells us to respect authority. In spite of being God personified, Jesus Christ instructed his disciples to ‘Give unto Ceasar what is Ceasar’s’”.
Primate Matilukuro, who is due to retire by September ending and formally hand over the mantle of leadership to his successor on October 4, 2026, reeled out what he was able to achieve in his 10 years of his stewardship as the head of the church adding humorously that: “Till Jesus comes, First African Church will never forget they had Sunday Oludare Matilukuro as Primate.
In his ten years as Primate, The Most Rev. Matilukuro said he was led by the Lord to evangelise more and build a Prayer City (Shiloh) for the church. This, he said, is located at the Lagos State part of Omu Ijebu. The Prayer City, which is yet to be completed, he said, contains hostels where worshippers seeking the face of the Lord can lodge as well as an auditorium that can seat 3,000 people at a time.
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He disclosed that the church now has more branches in the Northern part of the country than the South which hosts the headquarters of the church.
In spite of persecutions and tribulations from some members of the church that littered his ten-year reign, the cleric disclosed that prior to his coming on board, there was not a befitting permanent residence for the Primate, a project which, he said, is now 97% completed.
Primate Matilukuro’s notable accomplishments include the acquisition of land for the establishment of a model primary and secondary school; and the completion and commencement of activities at the Bishop Jones Memorial Theological Institute in Ota, Ogun State, a seminary dedicated to the training of the church ministers.
Other notable achievements, amongst others, in his 10 years service include his involvement of youths more in the affairs of the church, as well as bringing back the church, which was suspended because of crisis, not only back into the Christian council of Nigeria, but he’s also running his second term as the Vice President of that council.
He advised people going into Ministry to give their life completely to the service of the Lord because there will be confrontation and temptation.
“It is not an easy office. To succeed or stay long in this office, it is either you give your life completely to God or you fortify yourself with devilish power. But the Bible says on the judgement day, judgement will start from the Chancel, from the altar”, he warned.
