By Tony Okafor, Awka
The Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba has called for a new constitution for the country just as warned against leashing war against the junta in Niger Republic.
The Anglican Primate stated this on Wednesday at the 14th General Synod, Church of Nigeria, Nnewi, 2023, which had the theme: “Arise and Build: God’s Mandate For God’s People In A Broken World”.
Ndukuba who spoke on sundry national issues ,including the petrol subsidy removal, security, need for a new Nigerian constitution, economy, health, rule of law, among others, enjoined President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to be proactive in piloting the affairs of the country.
He called for more opportunities for women and youth in the affairs of the country.
He said,”Nigerians are longing for the birth of a new Nigeria. Give more opportunity to women and young people. Nigerians demand a political leadership that will respect the people’s rights and welfare as well as promote equality for all.
“The measures by the federal government to cushion the effects of the petrol subsidy removal are inadequate and unsustainable and therefore need to be improved upon.”
He noted that Niger Republic was an extension of the North West Nigeria, pointing out that any military intervention in that country would stir up emotions, suggesting that diplomatic solutions should rather be deployed.
Admonishing further, the Primate said, “Christians and people should rise up from where we are beaten down to, wake from slumber, through God’s enablement to build what is about to die.”
Speaking, the Archbishop of Province of the Niger, Most Rev. Alexander Ibezim, described the period the country is passing through as perilous times, where the society is a shambles and experiencing shortage of human resources.
He said Anambra was well blessed, urging all to arise, take initiative, in a purposeful intention to build what was broken and winning the world for Jesus Christ.
The Anambra State governor Prof Chukwuma Soludo, for his part, asked the church to join in the efforts to unite and rebuild the country.
He emphasized that the church is one and must strive to live as one, saying that it ( Church) would not cover reasonable distance, walking alone.
He noted that it would be only by walking together that a better society would be realizable, calling on the church as a major stakeholder, to use its power to bring people of goodwill together and help the poor, especially at this time of daunting economic challenges.
Soludo said,”It is only if we go together, that we can build this society. During the recruitment of teachers we conducted in the state which was adjudged as “unNigerian”, we tried to recruit the best, not on the basis of their tribe or state of origin”.
“We must begin to deal with people based on who they are. Only then can we truly profess that we are christians”, the Governor said.
“Nigeria is like every other country in the world. All over the world, things have not been the same since man fell out from the garden of Eden, but we must keep striving to make the world better. That is why the government, the church and civil society organisations exists.”
He commended the church, which he said, was doing quite a whole lot- building schools, running hospitals, doing work of charity. He tasked everyone to play their roles and become the change they would want to see.
