The altar of worship has unfortunately become a mockery as it has been most often, engrossed in the insensitivity of the church leadership. Occasioned by aggravated spate of state-imposed terror by the politicians who have adamantly demonized the sacred rights of the people, their freedom to expressly speak out and associate with themselves, has criminally been muzzled. The people have constantly been pummeled and subjected to fierce humanitarian abuses, ranging from kidnap, arrest, inhuman torture and biased genocide without provocation. Confronted with all these, the church which ought to boldly serve as a potent voice, has abysmally been blanketed in despicable silence, the atrocities, nonetheless. This display of silence is not in anyway golden, but a complete confirmation of sabotage to the body of Christ.
This has most shamefully, come to a point when people will courageously start questioning the very essence of the church's leadership's sanity and her position in the defense of humanity. Their courage should be Christlike and in tandem with what Christianity should actually be in all facets. They should be able to uphold the tenets of godly/people-oriented leadership which has been greviously shattered under the code of political ethics cum monetary compensation. Under religious guise, the church and her leadership, seem to have mortgaged the gospel of freedom and truth in exchange for political recognition. The sacred altar of worship has been desecrated and made to serve as a stool for political campaign and oppression by the very despotic Nigerian political leadership in conjunction with compromised Priests and Bishops. Overwhelming evidences abound concerning the gross misconduct of these church leaders, which are churned out to pacify the Nigerian political hawks. It is pertinent to stipulate some of these grievous incontrovertible evidences here, where these hypocritical church leaders ably aided the Nigerian tyrannical government against the interests/wishes of the citizenry.
Firstly, the church was used as a tool to forcefully instigate the dethronement the progressive government of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. In that regime, was the ample opportunity and privilege for unfettered freedom of speech, expression and association. Some of the church leaders were compromised into deceiving their unsuspecting followers into protests against the genuine government of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan that meant well for everyone. The sacred altar where the righteousness of Christ was preached, was alternated to propagate political deceit and lies.
Secondly, the church was also used to uphold obnoxious policies and defend tyrants that have brazenly siphoned the collective wealth of the people. These defended despots subsequently dehumanized and criminalized opposition voices that spoke out on behalf of the defenseless citizens, thereby glamorizing the atrocities of these dare-devil politicians. Example of such is derived from the case of Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, that ordered the unjustified arrest of over four hundred (400) innocent civilians including pregnant women.
It is shamefully disgusting that some Pastors and Bishops sang his praise just to curry political recognition and patronage, not minding the attached treachery. This call for consciousness is really reawakening to the reality that we must all place demand for better representation from the church leaders. The pulpit must be employed to render untainted service unto God by defending the oppressed. They must under God, strive to give hope to the hopeless and always speak the truth without fear or favor. The Priests, Pastors and Bishops, must have to ensure that they do not allow themselves to hypocrically be used to promote or aid the oppressors of the indigenous civilian populace. Just like Christ defended the people when He pointedly said to His disciples "Give them food to eat, yourselves". Today, Christian leaders in Nigeria are enjoined to boldly speak the truth to powers that be and also use the pulpit to liberate the people from the bounds, shackles and agony of the Nigerian oppressive government.
Written by Anioke Chukwunonso
Edited by Peter Oshagwu
For Family Writers Press International
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