Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has blamed religious leaders in the Niger Delta for the massive corruption and indiscipline of politicians, accusing them of not being firm so that those in authority could be steadfast in leadership.
“If all the clergy preach to politicians to change their bad behaviour, I believe they will change but when we applaud their corruption and bad governance, the society would be worst for it,” Amaechi said.
Amaechi told the church leaders to be brave in the condemnation of bad leadership and bad rulership of those who have found their way to governance because as “religious leaders you must honour your callings by acting as agents of change in the society”.
Speaking at the 20th Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) Theology Week, he explained that religious priests were the hope of the common man in the task of correcting the ills of the society.
Harping on the need for the clergy to act as a catalyst, he said “if church leaders and religious faithful stamp their authority in the crusade against corruption and other vices, especially by using their privileged position as God’s servants to preach change, the living environment will be a lot better for all”.
The governor wondered why the church has not been able to speak for the Niger Delta people for the years of deprivation and neglect and appealed to religious leaders in Nigeria to speak out against injustice and oppression.
The lecture of the day, ‘the church’s mission and the contemporary challenges of peace and reconciliation in Africa was delivered by Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Ghana, Most Rev. Gabriel Charles Palmer-Muckle.
At the end, Amaechi praised the guest lecturer for a well researched paper, describing it as the best lecture he had attended since becoming the governor of Rivers State and enjoined Christians to be faithful to God for His mercies.
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle also said God made Africa the preserver of the gospel as the continent played a prominent role in the fulfillment of the scripture, arguing that God created Africans for them to develop their countries.
He reasoned too that it was not for Africans to depend on other nations for their development, stating that in most parts of Africa , the church had been in the forefront of reconciliation of people and communities.
On his part, the Rector of the Institute Prof. Felix Adeigbo, said the problem of justice and peace in Africa appeared to be a political issue, as human right violation, high refuge rate, unemployment, poverty, among others, remain the bane of African countries.