The immediate past President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, has assured Nigerians that the country will survive the political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 elections. Speaking with Legit.ng in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday, October 2, 2026, Ayokunle said divine intervention remains Nigeria's surest anchor.
The clergyman made the remarks on the sidelines of the 10th anniversary celebration of the Oritamefa Baptist Model School (OBMS) Cambridge A-Level College. He urged Nigerians not to give up, stating that God's will alone will prevail over the nation's affairs.
Divine Assurance and the Call for Perseverance
Ayokunle said: "What God revealed to me is that whatsoever is happening in this nation, Nigeria, we will survive, and His will alone will prevail. That's why we don't give up on this nation, Nigeria."
He added: "In fact, anyone that has given up doesn't need to be in this country anymore. We see the future, which God take away from men and give to all of us in this country by Himself."
The former CAN president's comments come as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections, with various alliances and realignments already taking shape across party lines.
Insecurity: The Leadership Factor
Addressing the persistent problem of insecurity across Nigeria, Ayokunle said the solution lies in the resolve of those in power to confront the crisis honestly. He noted that the complicity of leaders has been a major obstacle to peace.
He said: "The solution to the insecurity in Nigeria is more determined leadership. The time that the leaders are no more complicit in insecurity, that time Nigerians will breathe a sigh of relief."
His remarks come amid ongoing security challenges in various parts of the country, including kidnapping, banditry, and terrorist activities.
Economic Hardship Under Tinubu's Government
Ayokunle declined to directly rate President Bola Tinubu's performance but was candid about the suffering ordinary Nigerians are enduring under the current economic climate. He said: "Well, I'm not his assessor; the masses are his assessors, but let us speak the truth: there is hunger in the land; the cost of living is too high."
While acknowledging that the removal of the petrol subsidy was necessary, he questioned whether the policy had been matched with adequate support for workers. He asked: "Well, it is good subsidy was removed but what's the average earnings of Nigerians when we removed subsidy as it's removed elsewhere. We are planning towards the same mind the same explore but do we pay the same salary, do we pay the minimum wage that's paid in America, in UK and elsewhere?"
He warned that low wages in the context of naira devaluation were pushing workers deeper into poverty, adding: "It is very difficult for Nigerians to breathe economically, and this is what a serious government, a government that will not play politics with the lives of the people, must address."
Advice to Students and Broader Context
Also speaking at the OBMS anniversary, guest lecturer Reverend Remi Awopegba urged students not to let their background define their ceiling. He said: "Never let your environment or your background limit your vision. Neither permit discouragement from the experiences of others to deter you. Start where you are, but think global."
In a related report, Legit.ng noted that armed groups, criminal kidnappers, and terrorists abducted 91 health workers and killed 15 others across 101 separate attacks on Nigerian healthcare facilities between 2023 and 2025, according to the 'Care in the Crosshairs: Violence Against Health Care in Conflict 2025' report by the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition. The data was compiled using Insecurity Insight's global monitoring system.
