The church has a responsibility to hold political leaders, especially public office holders accountable.
This was the consensus at the 2019 International Conference of African Pentecostalism(ICAP) organised by the Redeemed Christian Bible College.
President of Trinity Seminary Accra, Ghana Professor Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu was the lead speaker at the conference with the theme “African Pentecostalism: Civic Roles and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)”.
Asamoa-Gyadu said it is the church’s civic role and CSR to hold political leaders accountable and ensure that they fulfill their campaign promises.
He stressed the needs for the church to be informed about public issues, nothing it won’t be able to effect change without it.
“We need to challenge our political leaders; we should not wait for God to solve the problems we created for ourselves. The church has democratic capability and public significance.
“We must engage in public advocacy by making our voice heard on public issues. God wants the church to make the difference in the life of others and we do this by public advocacy and CSR.
“We have to be educated and be well informed about politics, engineering, education and all sectors, because we cannot talk on CSR if we are not in the public space.
“CSR is our religious mandate; it is the democratisation of our involvement in public life. The gospel of Christ is about the kingdom of God; our core business as church leaders is to preach the gospel, other things we do are secondary.
“It is the responsibility of government to address the economic issues; whatever the church does is to support the government,” he stressed.
Princeton Theological Seminary Princeton New Jersey, United States of America, Professor Afe Adogame, who delivered the second lead paper, noted government, followership and the church have failed Nigeria.
“If you fail to call your leaders to order or to advise them and take your destiny in your hand, the country cannot work.
“Many Nigerians patronise the leaders, we do not raise our voices and this is where the role of the church is important.
“When it comes to the point the leaders are misbehaving, churches should not be quiet but the church is not talking because we are comfortable in our comfort zone.
“Until we raise our voices to condemn and critic bad behaviours among our leaders, we cannot attain a system where accountability will exist,” he argued.
According to him, there are resources in Nigeria but they are not properly managed.
“The church has a voice but we are not speaking loud enough. Rather, we have shifted our responsibility to God.
“Many churches pray and fast for people who have no jobs, I am not saying it is bad but the church while praying and fasting should also teach people how to do the needful.
“We should teach them what to do to get the jobs; teach them how to write CVs and attend seminars on how to start businesses and how to take their destinies into their hands.”
A Professor in the Department of Religious Studies, University of Ibadan, Professor Helen Labeodan , emphasised the needs for women to be in leadership positions across all sectors in the country, noting that no nation can exist without women.
According to her, women empowerment is required for the development of the society, the church and the family.
“When a woman is empowered her children will not suffer and the children transcends to the church, the community and the nation at large,” she stated.
She stressed the need for women to be encouraged to take risks, noting that women must be educated and empowered as they are the key to economic growth.
Leave a Reply