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| Goodluck, Gov. Yakowa, Senator Ayogu Eze, Patience Jonathan and Gov. Seriake Dickson at Abuja church service |
President Goodluck Jonathan, governors, ministers and top government
officials on Sunday failed to demonstrate a public commitment to the
fight against corruption.
At the interdenominational church service held at the Ecumenical
Centre, Abuja, to commemorate the 2012 National Democracy Day, the guest
preacher and immediate past Prelate of the Anglican Church of Nigeria,
Most Reverend Peter Akinola, in his sermon, challenged the congregation
to join him in the fight against corruption in the country by committing
perpetrators to God.
But the congregation, including the President, who was accompanied
by his wife, Patience, the Governor of Bayelsa, Seriake Dickson and
Kaduna, Patrick Yakowa, Deputy Governor of Nasarawa state, Dameshi Luka,
as well as some ministers failed to respond to prayers to take corrupt
officials “to the court of God.”
Apparently, expecting to hear a thunderous YES from the
congregation, the Reverend, who instead got a deafening silence,
exclaimed: “There you go! Oh, corruption! So, you are not ready to fight
it, because you are all beneficiaries of it. Whether you steal in a
small or big way, stealing is stealing."
Apparently disappointed with the response he got, the clergyman shot
angrily at Mr. Jonathan and his delegation, “See, it is very clear. You
are not interested in fighting corruption. If you do, let us take our
case to the court of God, if you dare. Who is deceiving who? You are
only deceiving yourselves, not God. And you who is stealing government
funds, subjecting the poor to untold hardship; you who steal oil subsidy
money, making Nigerians pay for fuel through their noses; you who steal
funds meant for improving our power supply, deliberately making
Nigerians live a life in utter darkness, will you repent today? I doubt
it!"
Before throwing the challenge at the president and other officials
at the Service, Mr. Akinola had delivered a homily on the destructive
impact of corruption on Nigeria.
“This hydra headed monster (of corruption) has literarily taken over
the soul and eaten up the fabric of Nigeria,” Reverend Akinola said.
“Officials steal our public funds openly by the pen, while others steal
by the power of the gun. Successive governments have declared
half-hearted war against corruption to no avail. We know only too well
that the fight against corruption is largely selective directed at those
opposing the government, with no strong political connection.
“Many of those fighting it (corruption) in police and Judiciary have
no clean hands. When any National Assembly Committee or any government
agency is inviting anybody for questioning it is because those being
investigated have not yet given the agency inviting it their due share
of the booty.
“Worse still, those who have cleverly made away with public funds
and are living above their legitimate incomes are those who are being
honoured by traditional rulers, who make them chiefs and high chiefs.
Recently, our universities have joined the queue by inviting those
people and giving them some baseless honorary doctorate degrees.Sadly,
therefore, corruption will continue in full gear, because Nigerians and
the government only pay lip service to its eradication. But, I believed
as a Christian, as a preacher, as one who reads the Bible, there a way
out."
He continued, “Corruption in a narrow sense is another name for
stealing. Stealing is a sin God commands us all not to commit. As you
know every soul that sins and fails to repent shall die in his sin and
end up in hell. So, let us resolve here today to take to the court of
God, beginning from this place, all those thieves, who have failed to
repent. Will you join me?
“You who steal the money for road construction, leaving our roads in
a state of disrepair, causing several accidents and untimely deaths of
thousands of our people, their blood is crying to the creator. You who
steal the money earmarked for healthcare delivery, thereby running down
and turning our hospitals into mortuaries; you who have destroyed our
educational system, because the money meant for schools never got to
them; you who make laws to inflate costs included in the budget, are you
listening to me?
“All of you, whoever you are, greedy, arrogant politicians and
officials who are in government only for what you can steal from it and
virtually nothing to contribute to national development and has turned
Nigeria into a wretch, repent today, and make reparations and God will
have mercy on you. Don’t say Amen, only if you repent.
“It is true that ICPC, EFCC, the Police, judiciary may not catch you
stealing. But believe me, the all-seeing, all-knowing, all-wise and the
almighty God sees you very clearly. But, He is patiently waiting for
you to return to the path of sanity and righteousness.”
In his speech, President Jonathan did not react to the issues raised
by the preacher, who also proffered a proposal for a new Nigeria.
The president, who identified terrorism as a major challenge the
country is currently facing, said with the prayers of Nigerians and
commitment of government, “we will overcome”.
“We are working very hard to reposition our security architecture to
cope with the modern challenge of terror. We will overcome,” he said.
“Even though some people are predicting the disintegration of Nigeria,
let me assure Nigerians that Nigeria will never disintegrate. Our
forefathers worked hard to bring us together as a nation. Because of the
country’s potentials and resources, no one individual or group can
create problems that can disintegrate this country.
Source: PREMIUM TIMES (Via Sahara Reporters)
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