…as Bishop Ikeakor calls for return of Godly parenting
The Archbishop, Metropolitan, Primate of All Nigeria, His Grace Most Rev. Henry C. Ndukuba Friday said that President Donald Trump’s attack on terrorists in Nigeria was a welcome development and expected more of it as he lauds President Bola Tinubu’s efforts in crime fighting.
Most Rev. Ndukuba made the commendation in a Presidential address he presented to the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Standing Committee Meeting at St Stephens Anglican Church, Osumenyi, Nnewi South Local Government Area, Anambra State.
The Standing Committee Meeting, with the theme “Service to the Lord: Imperative for the family under God” was attended by almost all the Anglican Bishops and Archbishops from across Nigeria.
The Primate said that the political will already demonstrated in tackling insecurity was a clear message to all. He however noted that there was need for constant review of strategy and greater improvement, saying that Nigeria would certainly overcome and rise again to its destiny.
He regretted that the twin problem of banditry and terrorism seemed to be deeply entrenched in Nigeria due to some factors that must be addressed, adding that the recent attacks and kidnappings in communities across the country suggested there is a resurgence and regrouping of insurgency.
Archbishop Ndukuba said: “The genocide against Christians and other citizens in Nigeria suggests that weaponization of religious and tribal institutions is fundamental in the intractable insecurity in Nigeria.
“It was evident that the massacre of Christians and destruction of some local communities, are done to advance the interest of some political and religious entities.
“The genocide against Nigerian citizens is evident and especially against Christian communities in the North and some Southern states. With glaring evidence, it is quite embarrassing that some religious and political leaders are denying that such is happening in Nigeria.
“In a situation where the government of Nigeria cannot competently tackle the problem, we appeal that the international community should come to our aid. After all, Nigeria has served in many international peace-keeping projects.
“President Donald Trump has named our problem and also done the right thing in intervening temporarily. However, we need more intervention to save lives and tame these twin problems.
“We accept that there are elements of criminality, banditry and insurgency is what we are suffering in Nigeria, but the element of denial of the problems is very worrisome. We cannot understand why the government and her agencies will deny outrageous criminality against the citizens or downplay such outrageous incidents as the abduction of 167 Christian worshippers in churches and communities in Krumin Wali Kaduna State.
“The abduction of children and teachers from schools in Niger State, the abduction of the Venerable Achi, his wife and daughter from their home and the later slaughtering of the Venerable, is painful, and the most painful is that when such event occur, the victims and families are left to their fate.
“The emotional, spiritual, physical and financial draining, pain and trauma on individuals and families cannot be quantified.
“In the face of this, the response of the government and security agencies leave so much to be desired, yet they come out boldly to say that they will not negotiate with the terrorists.
“Nigeria is bleeding and the lives of our citizens are being wasted. The propaganda and play of words for political correctness before the international community is a disservice to Nigerians.
“This is the same thing that happens whenever criminal elements invade innocent and peaceful communities and the government labels it communal clashes, herders-farmers clashes, or results of climate change pressure.
“The Islamization and expansionist land-grabbing agenda remains central to insecurity in Nigeria. Spiritually, the more innocent blood is shed, the more curse and retrogression we invoke upon our nation. The blood of the slain cries out for vengeance and retribution.
“This action of President Trump is greatly commended and we demand that more be done. However, it is evident that no matter how much President Trump or international community does, a lasting solution must come from Nigerian leaders and citizens.”
The Standing Committee Meeting, however recommended that Nigeria must address issues of the security of lives and property as fundamental to its social economic and political well-being.
The meeting noted that the factors contributing to insecurity must be tackled, such as the country’s porous national borders, failure to expose and hold accountable those who sponsor and gain from terrorism.
It pointed fingers to inability to control guns and ammunition in the country, blamed political, religious and community leaders for not doing the needful, failure to build and strengthen intelligence gathering processes, failure to build collaboration with the communities to forestall the operations of bandits and terror groups.
“The proactive attack by the military and local vigilante on terror dens and hideout must be sustained. The continued equipping of the Nigerian Armed Forces is vital to winning this war. The unity and peace of Nigeria is for the good of all citizens and people.”
The Primate also expressed worry over what he called the “Monster of corruption and hard drug trafficking and addiction”.
He noted that today endemic corrupt living festers in the national life, adding that It flows freely from the padding of budgets to the actives of the ordinary person in the street.
“The church is not free from simony and monetization of services, such that volunteerism has vanished in our communities. The scourge of corruption robs our young people of employment opportunities, our lawmakers hijack the contracts which business and local contractors who are supposed to do and the contractors who are lucky to get jobs are not paid.
“Whatever evil we see in South America today is replicated in Nigeria from kidnappings to trafficking in person for sexual exploitation, and recently hard drug. Nigeria is moving a drug transit countries to a major player in the hard drug trade, ”he added.
Archbishop Ndukuba, thanked Bishop Ephraim Ikeakor and the Diocese of Amichi for hosting the meeting and also building a new Bishop Court under six months to host the Bishops.
Earlier in his welcome address, the host Bishop, Rt. Rev. Ephraim Ikeakor, said: “It is one thing to have a family, yet it is totally a different thing to have a family under God. No family can be under God if the father and mother in the family are not under God’s rulership.”
“When the family is is under God, serving God sincerely and sacrificially the entire household becomes enjoyable. No one can give what he or she does not have. We must therefore, intentionally and experimentally know the Lord first before serving the Lord with our family under God.
“Godly parenting is becoming out of stock among many parents now, serving the Lord must take hold of our Head, our Heart and our Hand.”
Speaking during the Standing Committee Meeting, Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo, welcomed the Bishops, to Anambra State, saying that hosting the meeting in the State shows that the State is safe now.
“Hosting the meeting in a church, like St Stephens Osumenyi, that is 106 years is a blessing. For the past five years the criminals have held the State hostage but we have been after them. They are leaving the State.
He regretted what he called the harm sit-at-home has done in South East, adding that school children are not allowed to go school.
“Sit-at-home order made the South East to loose economically for five years. There is no justification for that. You don’t cut off your face to spite your nose.
“We have cleared 62 criminal camps in Anambra State and one thing that is common with those camps is idols, and the names of the leaders of those camps are names of Christian’s. He called on the church to work with the government for the befefit of the society, ”he said.
Presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election and former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi, praised Bishop Ikeakor for transforming Amichi Diocese and thanked Church of Nigeria for posting him to Amichi.
He said that Nigeria is a rich country that politicians have turned to a crime scene, where politicians steal what they do not need.
“The problem of Nigeria is we the politicians. We are the problem of the country. We spend money on frivolities leaving important institutions to rot away. The best schools in Anambra State now are run by the Church, yet the government does not give them subvention.”
