The polity: An appraising glance by the church

ALTHOUGH the church is generally seen as a source of moral and spiritual guidance, it has also been serving as a channel through which pungent messages flow to people in positions of authority whenever the need arises.Whether in the course of regular church services or on special occasions, state matters and the general conduct of the people are often subjected to rigorous scrutiny.The annual synod is one of such special occasions when the church performs this all-embracing function.  It is a forum at which church leaders – both clergy and laity – put heads together to review the past, project into the future and generate ideas on the spiritual and physical needs of the people.  The third session of the 22nd Synod of Ibadan Anglican Diocese, Church of Nigeria hosted by St. Anne’s Church, Molete from Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 April, 2019, provided another opportunity for a critical appraisal of the state of affairs within the church and in the entire polity.

Employment: Reps pass bill on age discrimination

As an integral part of society the church cannot limit itself to the enhancement of spiritual values of its flock.  In its programmes and projects, the church complements the efforts of the government through the provision of services in critical areas of human life.  It was through the Christian missionaries that western education was brought to this part of the world just ashealth facilities established by Christian missions have continued to render invaluable services in different parts of the country.  The primary responsibility of catering for the spiritual welfare of the people should not therefore preclude it from lending a voice to discourse on issues in the secular realm. The Bishop’s Charge – an ex-cathedra address to delegates  – is always the most important event at the synod. It encapsulates developments, problems and expectations in both the secular and spiritual spheres and critiques actions and inactions where necessary.In this year’s Bishop’s charge, The Most Revd.Akinfenwa characteristically took delegates on a historical excursion on how the name ‘’Molete’’, the location of the host church, was coined from a statement made by the renowned warrior Kunrunmi of Ijaye during one of the wars fought in Ibadan.  He was said to have climbed onto a giant tree from where he ordered his warriors to pursue the enemy saying ‘’oriigitimo gunyiniemiKunrunmiyojokotinletesitiogunyiyo fi rapari ‘’ which roughly translated means ‘’on this tree that I am,I,Kunrunmi will remain until the war is over’’.

The bishop spoke extensively on the theme of the synod: The Anglican Heritage – The Church Yesterday The Church Tomorrow.  He underscored the essence of punctuality and time consciousness as he told the delegates ‘’there is no African time in the Anglican Church’’.  He said even if the individuals or families concerned arrive late for an occasional service, the commencement of the service must not be delayed.  He underscored the maintenance of discipline and counselled against the desecration of consecrated places.  He reiterated the objection of the Anglican Church to the practice of burying the dead at home as he told the delegates ‘’let the dead be among the dead’’.

Shifting his focus to the political scene, Akinfenwa commended President MuhammaduBuhari for his modest and subdued celebration of his electoral victory and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for his recourse to democratic institutions in contesting the election result.  He noted with satisfaction that the announcement of the result was not followed by statements that were capable of inciting the citizens to embark on violent reactions.  The bishop saw the case of Leah Sharibu as a litmus test the Federal Government must not fail.  He said ‘’Leah is just one girl out of thousands that Boko Haram has captured or killed, but the circumstances of her continued incarceration puts an abiding question mark on the federal government’s sincerity and competence’’.  In his view, Leah Sharibu is not just another girl, she has become an icon, (and) symbol of religious freedom in Nigeria.He commended the government for making agriculture one of its cardinal programmes but expressed concern at the humongous amount being expended on food importation over the years. He urged the government to address in a decisive manner the problems associated with access toand security of farmlands defined by herdsmen-farmers conflictsin various parts of the country.

On electricity supply, the bishop said all the power projects in Nigeria if put together would not add up to a single power plant in other countries.  He said no modern society could make any meaningful progress without adequate and stable supply of electricity as he called for the execution of on-going projects with sincerity of purpose to ameliorate the power situation in the country.  He implored the federal government to undertake a census of ‘’death traps’ ’on the country’s roads and carry out immediate rehabilitation of failed portions to reduce accidents and put an end to avoidable deaths. The bishop advised the government to pay closer attention to early childhood education.  He contended that the falling standards of education were not attributable solely to the quality of teaching and teaching environment at secondary and tertiary levels but, in greater measure, to the quality of pupils being passed on to the higher learning institutions.  According to him, this has been the basis for all forms of quota system under which children from the so-called educationally-disadvantaged areas are given admission with lower cut-off marks than their peers from other states. If such pupils had been well taught, would it have been necessary to lower the bar for them?  He rhetorically asked.  He reiterated the oft-repeated demand for the return of schools taken over by the government to their original owners.

• Olatoye, a veteran journalist, lives in Ibadan