HOW THE CHURCH CAN HELP ACTUALIZE A BETTER NIGERIA
By Obiora Okeke

This is a continuation of the series "MAKING NIGERIA GREAT AGAIN" by Obiora Okeke. Previously we discussed on HOW THE STUDENTS UNION GOVERNMENT CAN HELP ACTUALIZE A BETTER NIGERIA COME 2019. This article critically analyzes the Role of the Church in Actualizing a Better Nigeria.

Please read till the end and keep sharing till it gets to every Nigerian.

“Justice without strength is helpless, strength without justice is tyrannical. Unable to make what is just strong, we have made what is strong, just” Pascal, Pensees (1670).

"The essence of a church is not its programs or buildings...but the real issue is its spiritual life." -Alistair Begg. Our sad history of political domination, social exclusion and economic exploitation which resulted from bad Governance has been a challenge to actualizing the real essence of the Church.

There is fundamentally no difference between the politician and some bishop, pastor or priest on the pulpit. Both have a common African root, same gene factor and pursue the same selfish goals, though, on different platforms. While the politician, with unbridled egocentric impunity, imposes himself on the people with intent to enrich himself from the public, the church leaders also pursue the same inordinate ambition leaving what the word of God says and the message of Salvation.

Nigeria has been held hostage to a large extent by retrogressive forces of arbitrary rule and military dictatorship with the antecedent corruption in public offices, mismanagement of funds/resources and abuse of power.

The same way the colonial masters handed over power to Nigeria’s indigenous politicians after laying the foundation for development is the same way the European missionaries handed the church over to our indigenous clergy. The predecessor expected the Nigerian successors to continue from where they stopped on the path of equity, fairness and justice but the same way the politicians have undeveloped Africa by introducing discrimination, nepotism, injustice and all that, that is also the same way church leaders have left the main tenets of Christianity to pursue materialism, power, selfish ambition and all that. The church is the victim just as the polity is bastardised.

Our nation has all along been characterized by arbitrary rule, the preponderance of feudal lords, the big man syndrome, a command and control culture, all manner of culture of impunity, corruption, oppression of the weak including women and young people, and of course ethnic bigotry, religious intolerance and civil strife, while the rest of the world has been making phenomenal progress in meeting the socio-economic and political aspirations of their people – advancing the cause of democracy, progressing in science and technology and developing the arts and the humanities.

You don't need to be a Political Scientist to realize that Nigerians including those in Churches have been robbed of modern scientific and technological civilization. We've been robbed of the dividends of Democracy. A lot of things have gone wrong and the Church is doing nothing.

The Church shouldn't be a place where bad leaders are welcomed and given exalted seats just to be recognized. They donate and contribute financially which is geared at gaining attraction in the Church. This is not the essence of the Church.

The Church is called to serve the poor in the nation – those who have no social and economic or political rights, those who have lost their human dignity due to the material circumstances they find themselves in. The common good, that is, the good of society as a whole, requires that the powerless be specially protected and defended. That is why the degree of development or civilization of a society is measured and evaluated not by how much material wealth that society has, but by how that society treats the weak and the powerless in its midst.

Change does not just come until the people vehemently demand for it. For any nation to make true progress, The church must get involve in genuine electoral process. The Church should see it as an obligatory injunction given by God to sensitize the believers on the urgent need to vote at elections which will help to enthrone good governance, the Church should use its proximity to speak and admonish those in power to shun corruption, politically motivated killings, oppression, victimization of real or perceived political enemies, and lots more that are common among politicians and political leaders today. The Christians should transcend from politics of the pockets to politics of good governance. They should toe the line of John the Baptist who, against all odds, told King Herod in the face that he abused power entrusted to him by taking his brother’s wife.

It is only when the Christian leadership rise to the occasion and speak against the social ills perpetrated by the political leaders that the dividends of democracy and good governance will be achieved, and justice will roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

The Church has to play a pivotal role in helping elect credible leaders from the grassroots to the Climax of leadership which will benefit every Nigerian including the believers too.

My Recommendations:

- The Church Must Ensure that the Electorates are properly sensitized and encouraged to exercise their franchise responsibly, and to call to account their elected leader to act ethically in the cause of justice, peace and care for integrity of creation.

- Continuous Prayers for the Nation and our Leaders.

- Shun electoral malpractice and Sentiments in deciding who leads.

- The Church should use its proximity to speak and admonish those in power to shun corruption, politically motivated killings, oppression, victimization of real or perceived political enemies, and lots more that are common among politicians and political leaders today.

- Allowing Democracy reign by allowing the People decide instead of imposing someone on them.

- Church Leaders should stop using the Church as a platform to promote cruel politicians or giving preferential treatment to any.

- Church Leaders and Members should also live what they preach and stand for. Never engage in any social vices or any form of impunity.

- The Christians should transcend from politics of the pockets to politics of good governance.

- Openly rebuke corrupt leaders and commend credible ones without any form of Sentiment.

If the Church can keep to all these, then a better Nigeria is assured come 2019.

Dear Nigerian, the Nigeria we've always longed for, can come be actualized come 2019 if only YOU and I is ready to make the wrongs right. If we're ready to say NO to bad leaders, embrace credibility in Elections, reject every form of lobby, decline buying and selling of votes, not engaging in any form of violence or possessing any dangerous weapon before or during elections and welcoming pure Democracy, then our Generations owe us a lot of appreciation for making our country Great again.

The Church must vote and actively participate in genuine Electoral Process.
Together we'll make Nigeria Great Again.

I am Obiora Okeke (Student, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike).
Obiora Okeke is an advocate of Good Governance, a passionate writer and Speaker. He's a blessing to countless youths in the world. He bags a lot of leadership qualities.

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Reference;
Church and Good Governance by Samuel N-Ue (Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, PH.)

The role of the Church in Politics, Democracy and Good Governance in Nigeria (InfoGuide NIGERIA)

Ahiara: Like politicians, like church leaders (Guardian Newspaper)

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