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Jet Stanley Madu
Some members of the Catholic Church in Lagos recently organised an inter-faith discourse on the forthcoming elections in the country.
The event, initiated by the Catholic Church, came under the programme tagged the Christian Unity Week 2019.
The programme, which was under the leadership of the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Dr. Adewale Matins, was hosted by Catholic churches across the state. The gathering was designed to brainstorm and seek the face of God concerning the 2019 general election. The main thrust of the programme, according to the organisers, was to educate and raise political consciousness among the populace. For instance, it was stressed that the electorate should know the political parties in existence, their respective candidates and their manifestos. Also, it was an occasion to pray for peace in Nigeria.
As it was in the other parishes, at Saint Augustine Catholic Church, Iba Housing Estate, Iba, various topics were designed to re-awaken political consciousness in Christians. They included “The Christian and Politics,” “The Christian Leader In Politics – Why We Must Be Involved,” “Voting: A Necessary Tool for Change,” and “Voting and Party Politics: A Necessary Obligation for Commitment,” among others.
In his lecture, one of the facilitators, Dr. Michael Nissi,suggested that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) should float a political party of its own. He opined that the body would be able to put forward godly men and women who would rule the nation with the fear of God and the interest of the citizenry at heart.
The session at Saint Augustine was hosted by the parish priest and his associate, Rev. Father Michael Etegene and Rev. Father Paul Okobi, respectively. One of the anchor persons, Mr. Lucas Otuonye, said that the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Foursquare Gospel Church, the Celestial Church of Christ, Baptist Church, etc, were among denominations in attendance.
Speaking more about the Christian Unity Week 2019, Fr. Etegene, the diocesan ecumenical director of the Lagos Catholic Archdiocese, explained that the week was usually observed globally. The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) considered it imperative and wise to include it in the liturgical calendar of the church for Nigerian use, he said.
He remarked that this year’s edition was special because it was in an election year.
His words: “From Monday, January 21, through Saturday, January 26, we have been looking at topics concerning the elections. Because we know Nigerians will be going to the polls in February. Even though we have come together to pray for Nigeria, what is uppermost in peoples’ minds now are the elections.”
He said lessons from the programme dwelt particularly on voting and educating the populace. He noted that there was a general apathy among many Nigerians, and that many were losing faith in the system.
“Some have already decided they are not even coming out to vote. What we are trying to do this period is to awaken the consciousness of the people as regards the responsibility they owe to God and the state.
“The message is this, enough is enough. We cannot be taken for granted any longer. The people should just go out there, exercise their franchise. They should not only exercise their franchise, they should also protect it. Because you cannot just vote and go away, you will give room for rigging. So, exercise your franchise, while you are there, you protect your vote.”
The closing ceremony of the weeklong event was at the deaneries, with what the organisers tagged the Ecumenical Day. For Isolo Deanery, Christians from diverse denominations converged in their numbers on Saint Francis Catholic Church, Idimu. In attendance also were members of the Muslim community in Isolo Deanery. Members of the Nigerian Interreligious Council, including Alhaji Rasaq Ahmed, Alhaji Olanrewaju Sadiq and Imam Orebiyi, were also in attendance.
In his welcome remarks, the dean of Isolo Deanery, Very Rev. Matthew Ogunyase, described the event as the first of its kind, unique and historic. He stated that people must not only pray, talk about or wish for peace, but must be seen to work for peace and for peaceful coexistence. He said: “Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of justice and fairness in our dealings with each other.”
Ogunyase, who is also the assistant secretary, CAN, Lagos State, called on all to unite to “stop the bloodletting and killings, to banish hate, hunger and poverty from our land.”
He encouraged everyone to collect their permanent voter’s card, as “this will enable you to exercise your civic responsibility and right to vote in good and exemplary leadership, credible, with proven track records of integrity, who would deliver to us the dividends of democracy.”
Other speakers also charged Nigerians to use their voter’s cards wisely to usher in leaders of their choice.
The theme for the ecumenical dialogue was “Peaceful Co-existence: The Panacea for True Democracy.”
The pastor in charge of Christ Apostolic Church of All Nations, Iba, Dr. David Alawode, delivered the lecture. Speaking through Rev. Temilayo Ogundolapo, he urged Nigerians to appreciate and explore Nigeria’s diversity for positive gains.
He decried the manner of democracy being practised in Nigeria, saying, “It has ruined many people and caused many to go crazy. We do not have to fight or kill to choose our leaders.”
Alawode gave some recipes for peaceful co-existence.
“It’s very important that peace starts from you. Ensure there is peace in your neighbourhood, respect others, have a healthy competition, do not marginalise others, respect each other’s religion, and there should be equity in the distribution of our national resources,” he said.
Prayers were said for the coming elections, true democracy and good governance, and for religious tolerance and peace in Nigeria.
There were also prayers for families, the sick and the youth so that they do not end up treading the disastrous paths created by desperate politicians.
