THE CHURCH AND THE STATE OF THE NATION (2)

Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma
...CAN will ban unregistered churches

"As I mentioned here last week, it does seem as if some church leaders are beginning to redirect our focus from the physical origin and consequences of the fact that Christians have, by far been the victims of the on-going crisis in our nation. Is it the incessant attacks on churches with the attendant loss of lives, limbs and properties; or the share sacrilege of people being able to routinely attack churches, God’s very own abode, successfully."

This is a very important day in the life of our nation. It’s Children’s Day; a day when we are supposed to focus on the place of children in the life of our nation. It’s a day that should be seen by all adults – the leaders and the led – as affording us yet another opportunity to reflect on the kind of tomorrow we are bequeathing to our children. 

It is my hope, indeed, expectation that most of us will do that reflection as individuals before we do as members of our various groups, communities and citizens of Nigeria. What the collective appraisals usually do is lead us to finger-pointing. And we’ve done more than enough of that. It’s time we started lighting our little corners in the most enduring ways. 

Oh, yes, some of us do light our corners in many other ways: food on the table; the best schools we can afford; holidays at our levels, and sundry other things that “good” parents who can afford it go out of their way to provide. But, how many of us can honestly, and proudly, tell our children where the funds for those good things are coming from? How many in leadership positions can boldly declare that we are doing our best for God and country and not for that unholy trinity, me, myself and I. How many of us can stand to be counted in the character, the integrity department? How many of us are bequeathing a legacy of love, truth, selflessness, humility. In short, how many of us are living our lives as true representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ?

This is what today’s Children’s Day must be about: reflection on what kind of communities and nation we are building for our children, and the future generation. One where graft is normal; where lying is the norm; where there is no honour even in public governance; where kidnapping is small-do; one where men can marry men and women can do the same?

Another important thing about May 27 this year is that it is Pentecost Sunday! Many of my brethren in the Pentecostal and charismatic wing of the church would of course pay scant attention to it, sadly. We will dismiss any such observance as religiousity or even ritualistic – thereby throwing the baby out with the birth water. But that is a matter for another day. I mention it only because, I wish to evoke the significance of the day to enjoin the church to awake to the pivotal role it has in this nation.

As I mentioned here last week, it does seem as if some church leaders are beginning to redirect our focus from the physical origin and consequences of the fact that Christians have, by far been the victims of the on-going crisis in our nation. Is it the incessant attacks on churches with the attendant loss of lives, limbs and properties; or the share sacrilege of people being able to routinely attack churches, God’s very own abode, successfully.

The Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion’s Primate Nicholas Okoh, may not have put it in those words, but his attribution of successful attacks on churches by the militant group, Boko Haram, to the unrighteousness of many Christians, cannot not be easily disputed.  

In media reports quoted here last week when he received a Nigerian Red Cross delegation, he  said, “Our unrighteousness is why God is allowing the church to be so attacked and lives of Christians are being lost…we need to look inward to see whether our hands are dirty. If our hands are dirty, then we should repent so that God can have mercy on us and take away the reproach upon us.”

 Another cleric who spoke in similar vein was Apostle Victor Ajayi, a district leader of of Ona Iwa Mimo, Cherubim and Seraphim, Nigeria and Overseas, in Ipaja, Lagos. He said among other things that, “…there would be many tribulations that are caused by our sins as we are witnessing through the activities of Boko Haram, kidnapping and armed robbery among others…All these are caused by our sins…There are many sinners in our society that is why we are witnessing all these ungodly acts.”

Yet another man of God, who spoke on the state of the church, was the South-Eastern zonal chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria and Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma. In announcing his association’s plan to enlist the services of security agencies to close down unregistered churches, he was quoted as follows: “We are worried about the activities of churches that are springing up in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, but are committing all forms of atrocities and soiling the image of Christianity…many of them have become the hideouts of robbers, kidnappers and other criminals.”   

While I do not know if Bishop Chukwuma would have the legal basis to carry out his threat, and I certain wish he has, I am glad that this refocus inwards in the search for answers to the National Question is taking place. But as I asked in closing last week, is this new awareness of the poor state of the hearts of Nigerian Christians, clerics, government and corporate leaders as well as the led (mostly men), going to begin to receive the required attention?  It needs to be, if we are going to succeed in keeping this country together.

The famous verse of scripture: “… if my people who are called by my name become humble and pray, and look for me, and turn away from their evil ways, then I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2Chronicles 7:14), certainly applies here. But the emphasis must shift from “humble themselves and pray” to “turn from there evil ways.”

Yes, we the people who are called by God’s name MUST turn from our evil ways, whether we are primates or popes or prophets; whether we are presidents or peasants; whether we are of the pulpit or the pew. If we don’t and that soonest, I hate to say it, Sudan beckons. God forbid.