The Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Ika, The Rt. Revd Godfrey Ifeanyichukwu has decried the increasing level of corruption in Nigeria, noting that many Nigerians now display callousness and sadism in their craving to amass wealth.
He spoke at the second edition of a birthday colloquium in honour of Archbishop Tunde Adeleye and his wife, Ezinne Lady Dorathy Tunde Adeleye, yesterday in Calabar.
In his keynote address at the occasion, Ifeanyichukwu said regrettably most Nigerians entrusted with leadership positions in the country now think of their selfish interests when given the opportunity to serve.
Speaking on the theme: Recovering Nigeria through Transformational Leadership, the clergyman said “It is obvious that corruption has made many Nigerians to display shocking callousness and sadism in their actions.
Desire to enrich themselves through funds made for the public and the poor have given rise to indiscipline and selfishness, thereby bringing misfortune to some families because of man’s inhumanity to man, making countless people to mourn.
Funds meant for hospitals, schools, roads, power, agriculture, security etc are all diverted into private pockets, stacked up in water tanks, sewage pit, grave yards, cupboards, underground tunnels etc, for generations unborn while this generation of children and youths mourn.”
While calling for a paradigm in order to bring about the needed change, Ifeanyichukwu, who is also the President, Anglican Children Ministry, said the church has a critical role to play through the raising of transformational leaders to fill the leadership vacuums in Nigeria.
He enjoined Christians to show interest in the governance of Nigeria, disclosing that the scripture did not discourage political participation for the faithful.
According to him, “To salvage the democratic image in a nation’s political system, the church and indeed Christians have a commitment and must be involved. There is a possibility of effective, transformational and successful governance if Christians are actively participating in politics.
The fact remains that the bible did not discourage political participation for the faithful. In Proverbs 29:12, it reads: when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”
National Compass reports that Adeleye is currently the chairman of Haggai Institute for Advanced Leadership Training, Cross River state branch, a member of numerous professional Christian and academic bodies and author of some books including Evangelism Made Easy, Pastoring Made Easy and Follow-up Made Easy, among other publications.
The event, which was convened by the Lord Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Calabar, Rt. Rev. Prof. Nneoyi Onen Egbe, attracted quite a number of dignitaries both within and outside Cross River state.
