Cleric Canvasses True Fiscal Federalism

A Baptist Minister, has advocated true fiscal Federalism for Nigeria as panacea for enduring democracy in the country.

The Minister, Rev (Dr) Nkem Osigwe gave this antidote to Nigeria fledgling democracy at a symposium organized by the First Baptist Church, Port Harcourt to mark its 90th Anniversary celebration on Wednesday, explained that this principle of governance had provided solutions to challenging situation among component units in Baptist history.

Citing Southern Baptist Convention in America, where the churches in states had to harness resources and pay dues to the convention, ensure sustainable democracy in the church administration.

Rev Osigwe urged Nigeria to emulate American system of democracy to enthrone true federalism and not what is currently being practiced in the country.

He  maintained that true fiscal federalism would guarantee autonomy to the states, where the states would control their resources, and manage and only pay taxes to the Federal government.

According to him, this would ensure devolution of power at the centre to other tiers, hence he said, discourage the rat race to attain shot for the presidency.

Reflecting on the symposium theme: The Role of Baptist in Niger Delta, Osigwe however, advised churches under the Nigerian Baptist Convention not to see their autonomy as a platform to exhibit what he called “Rascality tendencies”.

Dr Osigwe, also Senior Pastor at Faith Baptist Church, Port Harcourt urged churches to calculate and pay their tithes to the convention monthly instead of the present practice of paying tithes quarterly.

He further challenged churches under the Nigerian Baptist Convention to work together in order to harness their resources for the corporate image of their Conferences, Association and the Convention.

While taking the participants at the symposium on a memory lane, Dr Osigwe recalled that the work of Baptist Mission on the Niger Delta started in Buguma by Rev Agbebi, who later handed over the mantle to Rev. Wariboko A. Amakiri arguing that, most of the mission work in the Niger in 1882 was started by few migrant traders.

According to him, the work of the mission started in earnest by the migrant fishermen or traders, who had their converts that later organised churches in their locality under the then Niger Delta Mission.

Other discussants at the symposium agreed that only commitment, faithfulness and documentation of past historical events in Baptist churches would ensure the spread of the gospel and increase membership.