The Bishop of Ibadan Diocese, the Most Reverend Joseph Akinfenwa, has said the current economic environment has thrown many Nigerians into severe pain despite the promise that it will be for a short time.

The Bishop stated this in his sermon at a service during which the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, consecrated four new bishops for the church at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Cathedral Church, Ikeja, Lagos on Sunday.

Among those consecrated are Venerable Collins Babalola of the Anglican Diocese of Ajayi Crowther and Venerable Festus Nwafili of Ndokwa Diocese.

Others are the new Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Lagos, Ifedola Okupevi; and the new Bishop of Akoko Edo Diocese, Ebenezer Saiki.

Speaking, Akinfenwa said, “Even if we say it is temporary, the truth is that people are in severe pain. And when people are pushed to tears, it is clergymen who offer their shoulders for people to lean on and cry upon.

“Despite all the noise of worship in the land, who is not embarrassed by the level of corruption, crime, and bad culture in the country? It is often said that a society gets the kind of leadership it deserves. Even the leader that was described as the epitome of integrity and the champion of anti-corruption, for eight years, corruption practically gave him a knockout.”

Advising the men of God, he added, “Don’t be distracted. There is a lot of work to be done. This is divine recruitment. This should be taken as a challenge, not an achievement. This should be taken as a call to service.”