State of the Nation: Anglican Primate seeks return of family values

As Nigeria continues to experience a decline in family values which has resulted in a societal crisis, the Archbishop Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba has called for return of family values to address worsening moral decadence in the society.

Addressing journalists during a Thanksgiving Service to Mark the Twelfth Synod of the Diocese of Abuja at St Philip’s Church, Gwarimpa, the Anglican Primate said the Synod with the theme of our Synod ‘Serve the Lord, Imperative for the Family Under God’ has been a very great turning point for individuals and families in the diocese.

He said it has been a time of calling the faithful back to God, not only as individuals but as families, re-emphasizing God’s own perspective of what he had in mind in establishing the family, which was the first institution and upon which both the church and society are built.

“And so for us, like as it was in the days of Joshua, we are giving opportunity again to renew our faith and our commitment to God as our Creator, our redeemer, our sanctifier, our Sustainer, and because of that, as we conclude in this service, one of the things that we are going to do is to reaffirm our faith and renew our baptismal covenant as individuals and as God’s people and families and our trust is that as we go the presence of God will go with”, he said.

Primate Ndukuba noted that in a time when the family is facing great challenges on different fronts, economically, spiritually, and morally, when the values that it holds so dear are being eroded and the former family ties that even enabled people become who they are no longer there, it is a time to return back to the foundations, “rebuilding where God picked us, from our homes and families and whatever may be the things that have been the problems in the families we are requesting and praying that God will grant us grace, that each family will be healed of God, and each person will return as God says, he will make the hearts of the children to return to their parents and the hearts of the parents to return to their children,” he noted.

The Clergy prayed that God would rebuild homes and families and restore individuals to what His purpose is. “And therefore, we want to encourage Nigerians, no matter the challenges, let us trust and hope in God.

“Let us return and seek for God’s purpose in our lives and in our families, and rebuild what the enemy seeks to destroy. Our people said that it is only where there is no fingernail that you will say that the cola will not go round, but so long as there is fingernail, you can break the cola, so we are encouraging love, unity, oneness, sharing encouragement in the family, anyone who has let him share with the with the family, with those around him”, he added.