TOWARDS A NIGERIAN CHRISTIAN CHARTER

"It is for this reason that somebody or group has to rise up to the challenge in some other ways. One such ways is to go the way of Christian leaders in the United States (through the Manhattan Declaration) and those of Britain (though the Westminster Declaration) and codify a set of principles by which those who fly the Christian flag should be encouraged to comport themselves or forfeit the right to expect our support and those of like minds."

I do not remember who said it, but, it’s been ringing in my head lately that “if you want anything done badly enough, you do it yourself.”  Perhaps you’ve heard it said before too. However, I am fully persuaded that in the matter of the urgent need for a Nigerian Christian Charter of Conscience (see last week’s column), it is incumbent upon those who are concerned about the direction of public conduct of those in leadership positions in our land, to rise up and let’s ‘just do it’.

When in 2010, I did an open letter serial to the President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and mentioned the subject in the fifth part; I had hoped that something would get done about it. My hope then was not baseless. As President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, he had much earlier convened a meeting of Christian Consultative Forum of Nigeria. As we reported in another serial in February 7 & 14, 2010, the forum was said “to have been borne out of ‘an apostolic summit held by some of Nigeria's front running Christian leaders on November 2, 2009’. Pastor Ayo stated the objective then as to enable ‘the body of Christ to transform the nation into a progressive, equitable and developed nation….’

That forum was attended by such eminent Nigerian followers of Christ, with years of incontrovertible Christian witness, ‘as former Nigeria High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade; board room icon and one-time presidential aspirant, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode; a former Chairman of Nigeria Breweries Plc, Elder Felix Ohiwerei and university don, Professor Adamu Baikie, (who) addressed the long neglected issue of the role of the Church in nation building…’ 

That forum issued a communiqué, which, at the time excited this writer so much because it was answer to prayer and public advocacy through a serial titled “Wake-Up Call to Church Leaders.” That all-important document posited in part:

“The Forum noted that for the church to lead in the turn around, it must get itself to a level of building a new Nigeria on integrity, which involves attributes like competence, faithfulness, probity, transparency, commitment, courage, ethical values and behaviour and accountability.

“…Therefore, reiterate that the church is neither a social institution nor a political party, but a spiritual fellowship for Christians and its only agenda is that of God. And that is, through this agenda, that our Christian leaders must be consistently courageous to teach all men (both leaders and followers) to observe all things that Christ has commanded;

 “…Concluded that the church must lead in the transformation of our nation, its leaders must lead with integrity, honesty of purpose, and speak out forcefully against the ills of country’s leaders. The church must also teach and develop its members into leaders and must promote integrity and discipline, encourage austere living, and generosity and discourage prosperity and materialism.”  

“…Recognised that the church cannot be transformed if it has not been working to develop its own leaders, and (raise) champions amongst its members. The church must therefore instil discipline amongst its members, sanction erring members and develop new leaders in the way of the Lord. We therefore, need to restore the right values, re-establish high standards in corporate and public governance and social behaviour, and to adopt good discipline, and establish a reliable system for ensuring consistently good performance. In addition, the church should not promote materialism and prosperity gospel, but encourage austere living and generosity.”

We stated then that the communiqué was “pointing in the way that the Church must go if it will take its place in providing the leadership in every sector of our national life as indeed it should.”

Pastor Oritsejafor went on to contest a very bruising election for the presidency of CAN, won the first and subsequently the second term and the forum and all that it stood for simply went to deep sleep. You would have thought that his new position offers a stronger platform from which to push the forum and its ideals, but it hasn’t been like that. I do not judge him, particularly, against the background of the upsurge in terror in our land, which, unacknowledged by many, is first and foremost formed and fashioned against Christians and Christianity, seen as coterminous with western values.

It is for this reason that somebody or group has to rise up to the challenge in some other ways. One such ways is to go the way of Christian leaders in the United States (through the Manhattan Declaration) and those of Britain (though the Westminster Declaration) and codify a set of principles by which those who fly the Christian flag should be encouraged to comport themselves or forfeit the right to expect our support and those of like minds.

Kingdom Men has accepted that challenge and we will pursuit it with all that we have in Christ. We will knock every door, including those of Oritsejafor and the eminent leaders in the Christian Leaders Consultative Forum (CLCF) and corporate bodies owned or led by Christians who are not shy to be associated with the name of Christ – and that may include you and yours – as the Holy Spirit shall direct. So, help us God.