 His Eminence the Archbishop Metropolitan and Primate of all Nigeria, the most reverent Chukudum Dukuba, and his dear wife, Mrs. Angela Dukuba. His Grace, the Bishop of the Badun Dioses, the most reverent Josefa Kinfeiwa, my Lord's Archbishops and Bishops present, priests and deacons of the Anglican Communion, the Chancellor of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion and Abuja Dioses, the Honorable Henry O'Dayn Ajumogobia. Members and participants of this 11th Synod of the Dioses of Abuja, brethren and friends, honored guests, ladies and gentlemen. Let me say how very honored I am to have been invited to another Synod of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Abuja Dioses and profoundly grateful to our new Primate, his Eminence the most reverent Henry Chukudum Dukuba, Archbishop Metropolitan, Primate of all Nigeria and Bishop of Abuja. I say our Primate because I am one of your congregants, haven't been born of Anglican parents and raised in the Church. My father until his death served in various lay capacities in the Dioses of Lagos and the Dioses of Remo and my mother remains a committed member of the St. Jude's Church, Abutimeta. Your Eminence I have earnestly looked forward to meeting you personally since your investiture in March. Certainly this Synod would have afforded me that opportunity but the realities of the new normal in the COVID-19 pandemic dictate the maintaining of some form of social distance. It is my firm belief that by the grace of God, very soon, this pandemic will be defeated and I will have the privilege of that personal meeting with you. The selection of the theme of this Synod, building a sure foundation, is certainly divinely inspired. Everything around us has been shaken and has been shaken by the greatest global threat to mankind in a century. We are in the midst of the greatest economic slump in history. Every region of the world is experiencing an unprecedented slowdown in growth. There was a day in April of this year when our precious oil was selling for less than the cost of production. No one was even willing to buy. Suddenly all that we took for granted, from air travel to hugs and even handshakes, have become neither safe nor advisable. Our own economy faces its worst period in history. We are earning 40% less than we should because all prices have fallen and few today can even afford to pay taxes. The sum and substance of what I am saying is that these past few months have shown us that human ingenuity and planning cannot even assure us that we will live to see the next day. Any hopes built on the foundation of human understanding and effort is a shaky and unsure foundation and is bound to fail when the storms and the turbulence come. But there is a sure foundation, one that never fails, one that cannot fail because the cornerstone and the rock on which it stands is the creator of life itself, the one who made all things on earth, beneath the earth and in the heavens, our Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, scripture reminds us of the futility of trying to lay any other foundation. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 11 reminds us, for no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Christ Jesus. That foundation, because it is based on the righteousness of the Son of God and not on our own righteousness or effort, because it is based on His grace, His love for us, because it is given to us as a gift from the owner of life itself, cannot fail us. So in these uncertain times, those who know Him, those who know the Lord Jesus Christ will do great exploits. We will rise above every challenge because we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus and His promise to us is contained in the words of the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah 3 verse 10, where it says, say to the righteous that it shall be well with them. So I say to you, it shall be well with you and for your sakes it shall be well with our nation and the world. We will rise from the despair and pain of this pandemic, from the tragedies of insecurity and deprivations of our economic circumstances to a bright new day of abundance, of prosperity and joy in the mighty name of Jesus. Once more I congratulate your eminence, our primate and their lordships, bishops, archbishops and bishops present and all members of the clergy of the Anglican Communion and friends from other denominations on this auspicious occasion of the 11 Synod and I pray that the Almighty God will bless and prosper the church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion and all of you in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.