The Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) says it has observed a dwindling interest among its members and Christians in general in Nigeria as regards playing active roles in politics.
In a communique issued at the end of its 68th General Church Council (GCC) in Jos, capital of Plateau State, last Saturday, the church decried a perceived political apathy among Christians in Nigeria and urged Christians to enroll into political parties of their choice with a view to affecting the political system from within.
According to the document which was signed by the president of the church, Rev. Stephen Panya and the General Secretary, Rev. Yunusa Nmadu, “The church notes with displeasure the high level of political apathy among Christians and encourage ECWA members and other Christians to actively join political parties of their choice”, adding that “Politics is dirty only because good people abstain from it”.
To give impetus to the resolution, the church council “approved the setting up of a political Advisory Committee at the District Church Council (DCC) level to provide guidance going forward in the new direction” but warned pastors to stay clear of partisan politics themselves.
It is not difficult to understand where the General Church Council of ECWA is coming from when viewed against the background of how colossal the political class in Nigeria has failed the people. From ECWA’s point of view, it is difficult to understand how the generality of the citizenry will be visited with such vicious level of mass poverty, ignorance, disease and insecurity of lives and property if the political class was sufficiently populated by men and women endowed with conscience, consideration (if not love) for fellow citizens, milk of human kindness and the basic fear of God. It is deducible from the perception of the church that “Christians” are endowed with those qualities and virtues that could make the difference in our political life, and eliminate corruption, greed, avarice, insensitivity, lack of sincerity, ungodliness and such unholy tendencies that have characterized the political leadership of our country.
Perhaps the church reasons that if Christian are at the commanding heights of political administration in the country, there would be less amount of frustration, dissention, anger, hunger and needless loss of lives occasioned by inadequate sensitivity to the plight of the common citizenry, selfishness and woeful mismanagement of the resources of the country.
Of course, the church can scarcely be contradicted on this score knowing that the faith is founded on love, sacrifice and selfless service to fellow man. The expectation, therefore, is that its adherents will be the embodiments of these virtues and concomitant values like honesty, probity, transparency, truthfulness, kindness, compassion, good neighbourliness, fairness, equity, justice and the like. Bring a good dose of these to bear in the management of any organization or society and you are on the way to reducing to the bearest minimum, strife and strain, conflict and contention within the body polity.
However, the question is ‘is it true that our government at all levels (federal, state and local council) have arguably not worked and are not working for the citizens because of insufficient presence of Christian officials? Or is it that what is lacking is a sufficient number of persons in the political class with the right Christian conviction, attitude, discipline and focus? And whose responsibility is it to raise the requisite quality of persons to populate the political class in order to bring about the desired state of affairs in the country?
Evidently, ECWA got it right when it observed that our society would run better with a good supply of people who have the right orientation, training and discipline of the Christian faith. But it is not very correct that we need more Christians than we already have in the administration of most parts of the country for things to be different.
While it is true that states in the North-Central and South-West have more than a fair share of Christians in politics as dictated by their population, states within the South-East and South-South regions are wholly dominated by Christians. From the local government areas to the state level, Christians who go to church every Sunday, hear the word of the Lord, partake in the rites, rituals and programmes of the church, expose themselves to the tutelage of men of God, receive guidance, counseling, instructions and prayers from spiritual fathers are the ones in total control of political affairs in the South-South and South-East States via the state and local council cabinets, the state and councils legislative assemblies, and the political parties. Yet the socio-economic fortunes of the people are no much different from other parts of the country.
It is no news that former christian chief executives of states and other top ranking political office holders are persons of interest of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies. In fact, ex-governors Joshua Dariye and Rev. Jolly Nyameh and serving various prison terms while now Senator Orji Uzo Kalu is breathing the air of freedom due to legal technicality. The point is that Christians have not proven to be a better breed of politicians in Nigeria so far. So, to merely increase their number in the political sector is not likely to change anything. What is however likely to effect a change is the involvement of a higher and better discipled Christians in the political arena and it is the duty of the church to produce them.
ECWA and indeed the church of Christ in Nigeria must therefore take a sober reflection and concentrate on raising Christians who would uphold the standards set by the Master wherever they find themselves, whether in politics, public service or anywhere else. It is indeed a failing on the part of the church that most of its members in public office cannot be counted upon to be exemplary in piety, faithfulness, trustworthiness, uprightness and deserving of honour, dignity and commendation.
From all indication, church leaders have not been known to strongly condemn and openly upbrade Christians in public service who engage in corrupt practices and thereby shortchange the people and deepen their misery. When the leadership of the church raises its interest and expectation of mega financial contribution, support and assistance from politically exposed individuals within its fold, it subtly constitutes itself as part of the problem rather than the solution.
It is understandable that ECWA warned its pastors to stay away from partisan politics so that the church can be insulated from the incontinences associated with partisan politics in Nigeria. Those who are named by the name of the Lord must be pure, holy and beyond reproach. However, they must be courageous and bold in constantly monitoring, and conscientising their flock in political offices to discharge their duties as service to the Lord.
“When the righteous are in authority the people rejoice”, the Bible says. The church must make it its cardinal objective to raise righteous leaders for the country so that the people of Nigeria can be assured of a better standard of life that will glorify God. It is an unsettling contradiction that Nigeria which is among the most religious countries in the world is also amongst the top worst governed countries while housing the greatest number of the wretched of the earth in addition to being among the most corrupt nations.
Religious organizations in the country, the church in this case, must make deliberate effort to raise responsible and patriotic citizens. There are too many citizens who are neither aware of their civic duties, obligations and responsibilities nor are prepared to abide by lawful instructions, rules and directives of constituted authorities. The church must complement the efforts of government by impressing on its members the need for them to be law abiding and accord adequate respect and regard for leadership at all levels. This is the only way our country can work for all. Citizens at all levels must be conscientised to obey laws, follow rules and adhere to regulations intended to make life easier for them. A responsible citizenship will no doubt produce a responsible and responsive leadership at all times. ECWA and the church in general must therefore ensure that the members they are encouraging and preparing to join the political fray are thoroughly groomed to effect the change Nigerians want to see.

By: Opaka Dokubo