Speaking at a Public Lecture on the Role of the Church in Nation Building, Foremost Economist, Professor Pat Utomi said that Christians who are part of government at different levels should play active roles in shaping positive character and reduce the lust for power, prestige and self gratification.
Professor Utomi explained that virtues preached from pulpits on prudence and temperance are capable of reducing the incivilities that are present in partisan politics in the country.
He tasked leaders of the church on admonishing the political class on accepting Greek gifts from questionable sources.
“The role of the church can help here, In the first Christian century a church document, the Didache, rebuked Bishops who accept ablation from people who do not treat workers well, I wonder what the Didache would do to pastors who accept generous gifts today from well known people of questionable values.”
The Economist noted that the problem of Nigeria is leadership and those over the age of Seventy years should not run any executive office especially the office of the president in the country.
“Men who should retire scramble for power and make the presidency a geriatric ward, and failing in the energy sapping job of being president. We ought to be honest to say nobody over 70 years should run for the executive office.”
” I also think the view of leadership as one strong man is an invitation to tyranny as I have seen in this republic, different from the second republic”
He said that Nigeria’s current realities are not sustainable and may lead to anarchy.
Former Minister of Information, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr. While speaking during a panel session at the Public Lecture called on Church leaders to use their platform to propagate the right virtues instead of using their platforms to build personal wealth at the detriment of the people.
He said the gospel teaches people to lead by examples and the Church can only regain the moral authority to hold leaders of the nation accountable when they go back to the first principle of being their brother’s keeper and showing love to one another.
“I’m a bishop and my needs must be met in a special way beyond that of the flock that have been entrusted to me and therefore if I’m okay, then it is fine.”
“This is what happens in most denominations, you have situations where the clergy live in opulence, absolute luxury whilst the congregation live in poverty and penury “
He said that Clerics play pivotal roles in shaping the virtue that is upheld in the society and this role is mostly exploited by the political class during electioneering seasons.
“Neither the Governor nor President nor public officials become kleptomaniac when they are elected, they were already like that before being elected.”
“As a boy in secondary school my father wrote me letters to remind me of the lectures he gave me and because he wrote me letters, I write my sons letters to remind them of certain values to demand accountability.”
Another panelist at the event, Professor Osita Ogbu from the University of Nigeria Nsuka while explaining the effects of policy formulation, implementation and nation building cited the removal of fuel subsidy and the new minimum wage as case study of policies that have not alleviated the sufferings of Nigerians.
Professor Ogbu said Nigeria is in dire need of politicians with technical knowledge backed by ethics on how to handle public resources without compromise.
