The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has urged Christian youths to embrace the biblical principles of honesty and integrity, which he described as the bedrock to success in politics and good governance.

The NIMASA DG spoke at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) youth conference tagged IGNITE with the theme, “Taking Territories”. He urged them to work hard and embrace peace rather than violence in order to take charge of their territories.

Dr Peterside, whose message was focused on “Taking Territories Politically”, said that a territory is not limited to a geographic area under a common ruler but includes any sphere of influence under a particular leadership or jurisdiction, adding, that there are spiritual, geographic, economic, political, social and other territories. He noted that the political territory is the most important in physical spheres, as it shapes what happens in the other territories.

In his words, “There are seven important principles for anyone who desires to take charge of his territory. He or she must have a mental picture of the territory he wants to take charge of, he must have a precise vision, and the vision must produce passion which will give you focus and sustaining energy. The individual must be prepared to overcome resistance as there will always be competition for territories. You need people, because nobody goes alone to take territories.”

Speaking further, Peterside listed other principles to include a new attitude, ability to adapt to change, acquisition of new skills and absolute faith that you already have the territory. Accordingly, he stated that these principles that are all biblical apply to taking political territories as it does to other territories.

He said: “Of all the territories, the government or political territory is most strategic and that government is perhaps the most important human institution to change the society.” He said anybody who gets involved in politics following the biblical principles of taking territories will succeed.

While admonishing the youths against seeing politics as dirty, Dr. Peterside urged them to get involved so that the nation’s political landscape will have more God fearing and visionary leaders.

Pastor J T Kalejaiye, the Special Assistant to the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God on Evangelism, who spoke on taking territories spiritually, urged the youths to be more dedicated to God.

Pastor Emmanuel Emefienim, an award-winning banker who spoke on taking over territories economically, noted the need for adequate knowledge of the territory economically. He said prayer and fasting cannot take the place of planning and hard work. In his words, “If you want to take over economically you must have the right mindset. You must fight to take over.”

Other speakers at the conference which held simultaneously in Port Harcourt, Abuja, Lagos and Mombasa Kenya with an audience of over twenty thousand people, were; Pastor J.F. Odesola, Pastor Peter Amenkheinan, Pastor Thomas Etuh and Pastor Emefenim.