Anglican archbishop stands by his catholic brothers in Christ, by Donu Kogbara

Last week on this page, I hailed Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Catholic Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, for speaking up when President Tinubu responded callously to Catholic bishops’ concerns about widespread poverty and insecurity.

Daniel Bwala, an accident-prone presidential spokesman, accused Onaiyekan of speaking only for Catholics. “NOT SO!” was the robust rejoinder from Christian leaders from other denominations. I thought I should share an interview I’ve transcribed.

It took place on August 5th  between 2 AFIA TV anchors and the Most Reverend Sosthenes Eze, Anglican Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Enugu North. Wise words indeed. Excerpts:

Reverend:  [Bwala] was absolutely wrong. [Onaiyekan] was not speaking for the Catholic church. In fact, he was speaking for the entire nation, irrespective of religious background because insecurity has no religious discrimination, economy, educational failure, name it…affects every Nigerian wherever we are. So, it’s very unfortunate that in a moment like this in this country, we are having people who are…talking very shallowly about matters of life concerning Nigerians.

Interviewer: What bothers you most regarding the trajectory this whole event just took?

Reverend Sosthenes: Well, it is again, a demonstration of the wicked mindsets and corrupt mindset of the Nigerian political leaders, a good number of them. Because a very genuine, productive advice was given to our president and somebody became so myopic to make it not even religious but denominational. Which was quite embarrassing because they went as a leadership of a particular denomination, but they were speaking the mind of all Nigerians. So, it’s very disappointing and very painful to say the least…No reasonable Nigerian Christian will see it from the point of view that he saw it…In fact, no Nigerian…who is not corrupt and terribly wicked, will speak in that manner. I can say that with great emphasis. So, he [Bwala] was purely political, and as usual, for his stomach infrastructure. 

He wants to keep his job. And he thinks he’s pleasing the president. These are sycophants who are destroying the leadership of our country…No foreign nation can develop us…The development and the growth of our nation is in our hands.

The current picture of the Nigerian situation is terribly deplorable because virtually everything is collapsing. Every sector of our Nigerian society has been affected…Why doesn’t the entire nation rise up? It’s as if we are bewitched as a nation. 

Everybody is silent everywhere…we will be completely destroyed if we don’t change, if we don’t repent. …A man cannot give what he doesn’t have…Yes, he [Tinubu] is making an effort, but it’s not good enough…the entire insecurity, economic challenges and infrastructure [problems] are self-inflicted. 

It’s not because things are not there to do all of those things. One is the political will. 

Secondly, is the corrupt nature of us Nigerians…Incidentally, I’m an engineer, so I’ve worked in the construction industry. You give somebody a contract, and he goes to do a poor quality job to make profit. Is that the governor or the president that is doing it? Was he not paid for it? He wants to cheat to make a profit. The same thing with average Nigerians. Somebody makes a quotation to even go and buy things. He must make money from it. He will not give the correct response. So you see there is a whole character collapse, moral collapse.

Interviewer:   How do you receive this statement, ‘All is fair in politics’ by Mr. President?

Reverend Sosthenes: …In the previous election, he said, snatch it and run. Does it speak of someone who is sincere for genuine, sincere election?…All cannot be fair. It means that whatever you do, whether by hook or crook, that’s my understanding of it. All can’t be fair in politics. Because there are things that they do that is wrong. So if they rig election, it is fair. If people are killed and destroyed, it is fair…

It’s very annoying to hear my leader saying such things in public to us as Nigerians. It means that every hope for good governance in this country may be lost…I’m really afraid about the next election. Okay, if you go to a church and suddenly the number of people asking for help has increased. 

What is that saying? People are hungry…We are in touch with the populace. So religious leaders understand the pains of Nigerians. [The Catholic bishops] were playing their godly role [when they visited Tinubu and I’m proud of the Roman Catholic Church.    

Interviewer: FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has accused Cardinal Onaiyekan of being partisan. He said he knew who the Cardinal supported in 2023, of course, citing the LP candidate, Peter Obi. What’s your take on these allegations being churned out?

Reverend Sosthenes: Excuse me…I’m not sure I want to be replying to all these kinds of irresponsible remarks!

Interviewer: Do you think the presidency is doing enough in collaboration with foreign forces to tackle Christian genocide?

Reverend Sosthenes:  …There is a grand plan to exterminate Christianity, which has lasted long from the ancient times…But it will never work…it is not entirely the government’s responsibility, it is the responsibility of all of us. If we have produced a generation of godly and righteous people, these things won’t work.

Interviewer: …What is your message to Mr. President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Federal Republic of Nigeria, this morning?

Reverend Sosthenes: My message to him, by the grace of God, he should listen to criticism…Look at the ones that can help the good of this country and take it…be strong enough to resist bad advice.

Interviewer: What is your message to Anglicans watching this right now?

Reverend Sosthenes: Get to know the Lord more and continue to speak out the truth everywhere we are, both to authority and to the people.  

DONU’S WORLD

I have a YouTube channel. It’s called DONU’S WORLD.  

https://youtube.com/@donukogbara?si=bBm_IPdFZ_wUyKYq

NIGERIA UNFILTERED – spicy commentaries on Naija issues – appears every Wednesday, while DONU’S WEEK appears on Fridays and is international as well as local and covers a mish-mash of soft and tough issues around my personal life, my work and my worldview. 

Two days ago, in this week’s Nigeria Unfiltered video, I focussed on courageous journalists in bygone days and said that today’s journalists need to take more risks around whistleblowing and activism to fulfil their duties to a general public that needs to be protected from a predatory commercial, social and political elite. Please check out my Donu’s World library (dating back to early 2024) on YouTube, plus the new videos I produce every week. 

I would love to hear your opinions and any constructive criticisms you may have to offer. And I will be very grateful if you “like”, subscribe and share!

The post Anglican archbishop stands by his catholic brothers in Christ, by Donu Kogbara appeared first on Vanguard News.