RCCG pastor traces Nigeria’s woes to name

A pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Ujeh Elvis, has written a book in which he advocates the change of the name of Nigeria, arguing that its name is the source of the country’s challenges.

Stating that his campaign is as a result of divine revelation, Pastor Elvis, in the text entitled: The Truth about the Name Nigeria, contended that culturally, and in the Bible, “the right of naming was given to Adam by God.

“Reverse is the case of these biblical and cultural facts as the name ‘Nigeria’ was not pronounced on this nation by a man but by a lady named Flora Shaw, a former girlfriend to Sir Frederick Lugard, the then British High Commissioner of Northern protectorate, who later became his wife.

“It is not legal, scriptural, cultural or traditionally right for a lady and a foreigner to perform such an important function such as giving name to a country. The name Nigeria is not a symbol of unity nor a true representation of whom we are, for we are not all around the River Niger as suggested by the name. Some are closer to River Benue and many are not close to so-called River Niger,” he stated.

Elvis, who has been making his advocacy with a movement tagged Vision Change That Name, has written and visited members of the National Assembly, requesting for a constitutional review of the name, ‘Nigeria.’

He has also written letters and made advocacy visits to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Review, as well as the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review.