- Says few individuals have usurped nation’s wealth
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) on Wednesday cried out to the Federal Government, lamenting that insecurity and hunger are suffocating Nigerians.
The church, which spoke at the St. Andrew’s Basilica, Hill View, Trans-Ekulu, Diocese of Nike, Enugu State during consecration of seven new Bishops and presentation of four new Archbishops, expressed worry that the government, by its actions seemed to be comfortable with the hardship the people are presently facing.
Bishop of Ihiala, Right Reverend Israel Okoye, who delivered the sermon, lamented that governments in Nigeria have by their greed turned God’s blessing to the country into a curse.
According to Bishop Okoye: “We are living in a society which those who occupy positions of authority have usurped our common wealth. Nigeria is blessed with crude oil but governments in their various forms have turned that blessing into curse.
“People are suffocating in insecurity and it seems nothing is happening. The sanctity of human life means nothing; people are being killed like animals yet nothing serious is done to save the situation.”
Okoye stressed that very few individuals who made themselves cartels have usurped the wealth of the nation and render the country poor with untold hardship while government looks away.
“People are dying and our government say exercise patient unto death. When you die, just die. When the economy improves, we shall inform you in your grave, but don’t worry, just die,” he lamented.
Noting that there is abysmal lawlessness, the Bishop stressed that corruption has eaten so deep into the fabrics of Nigeria that even those who bear the name Christians were found in it.
He, therefore, urged the new Bishops to know that the time we are in now is evil and ensure the fight the good fight of faith.
Reminding them that the office of a Bishop demands a lot not only from them but all the people, he asked them to know that they were called to guard the faith, unity and discipline of the church, adding that “a Bishop must be someone that is not an embarrassment to the church.
Those consecrated Bishops by the Primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Dr. Henry Ndukuba are: Rt. Rev. Prof. Samuel Ike, Enugu Diocese; Rt. Rev. Ephraim Gongdem, Jos Diocese; Rt. Rev. John Obinali; Okigwe Diocese; Rt. Rev. Godwin Odubena, Ijebu North Diocese; Rt. Rev. Bernard Hanson, Ahoada Diocese; Rt. Rev. Titus Alkali, Wusasa Diocese and Rt. Rev. Samuel Ifeyemi, Osun North Diocese.
The new Archbishops are: Most Rev. Sosthenes Eze, Bishop of Enugu North Diocese for Enugu Province; most Rev. Israel Amao, Bishop of New Bussa Diocese for Kwara Province; Most Rev. Williams Aladekugbe, Bishop of Ibadan North Diocese for Ibadan Province and Most Rev. Daniel Yisa, Bishop of Minna Diocese for Lokoja Province.
Consecrating the bishops, the Primate, Most Rev. Ndukuba, charged them to be diligent in the things contained in the Bible and allow I guard them and also declare it to the word.
He also charged them to “Be a shepherd and not a wolf to the flock of Christ; feed them and do not devour them. seek the lost, uphold the weak, restore health to the sick, lift the downtrodden. Ensure discipline but forget not mercy.”
The new Bishops and Archbishops were elected during the church’s Episcopal Synod held on Monday, August 12, at the St Matthew’s Anglican Church, Maitama, Abuja to fill the vacancies in seven of its dioceses and four provinces.
Meanwhile, the new Bishop of Enugu Dioceses, Rt. Rev. Ike would be enthroned on Sunday at the Cathedral of Good Shepherd, Independent Layout, Enugu.