Leaders from within and outside the Evo Diocese of the Anglican Communion in Rivers State converged at its second synod to assess the performance of the church, the state and the country. Precious Dikewoha, who was at the synod, writes.
Although the second synod convention of the Anglican Communion, Evo Diocese of Rivers State ended last weekend, the memory of the ceremony still lingers in the minds of delegates. The programme, which attracted delegates from all the branches of the church under Evo Diocese, was an opportunity for the church to assess its performance and that of the state and the nation at large.
Thousands of delegates and church members were at the St Andrew’s Anglican Church Rumuobiokani Deanery in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The synod in the Anglican Communion’s calendar is the time of spiritual rebirth, account of stewardship and a period to examine ones’ relationship with God.
The Synod lasted five days and attracted people from all walks of life and speakers from different professional and religious backgrounds.
They include Bishop of Sokoto dioceses, Rev. Dr. Mathew Hassan Kukah, Anglican Bishop of Okene Diocese Prof. Emmanuel Ajulo, Mrs. Ijeoma Anagbogu, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and others.
The Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev Innocent Uchechukwu Ordu, led a courtesy call to His Royal Highness Eze Samuel Nyechi Ejims Wopara, the Paramount Ruler and Nyenweli Rumuobiokani community and presented a copy of the Holy Bible to the monarch. He also used the opportunity to inform him and his subjects to use the occasion of the synod convention to refresh in the Lord and to bring peace to the community.
The Monarch, while responding to the Bishop, went back memory lane to 1904 when the Anglican Church blazed the trail as the first church ever to set foot on Rumuobiokani soil. He appealed that the church should not adopt an onlooker attitude when the community and the nation are embroiled in unrest and disunity.
Governor Chibuike Amaechi, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information and Communication Mrs Ibim Semenitari, advised the church to pray for him and the state, as he hoped on God to ensure that the wealth of Rivers people is in safe hands, adding that criminal who have murdered the people are desperate over Rivers wealth.
He said as the leader of the Rivers people, “I owe you a duty to clarify on why I joined APC. Let me say that repeatedly we have heard people wonder why we moved to APC, I know we are in the church but it is important to know that we took the decision to protect the future of Rivers people. At the top of everything I have to do, I must ensure the development of the state. But I promise my enemies, I will finish strong and I cannot allow the resources of Rivers state to be squandered. As the governor of Rivers State I owe you greatly to ensure that any decision I take will be for the best interest of Rivers State and I cannot sell my feelings for a mere porridge.”
Explaining the importance of synod in Anglican communion, Rt. Rev, Innocent Uchechukwu Ordu, said, “Synod is the gathering of the Church leaders, which include the church laities and the Bishops. It is an opportunity where anybody who holds a position in the church will give a written report of his or her stewardship which others arr expected to assess to ensure a balance report. It is also the time of fund raising for the execution of church project. There is enough spiritual benefit for those who concluded the programme because it will challenge their spirit and their dealings with God as they continue to work in the vineyard of God.
Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah and the Bishop Ordu strongly emphasised on national issues, such as 2015 and the abduction of Chibok girls. In their various speeches, they warmed politicians to be mindful of what they say about the country, adding that the issue of who becomes the next President of Nigeria in 2015 is in the hands of God and cannot be manipulated against God’s will.
Kukah said the utterances of some politicians and religions leaders in the country are diminishing others whose life are in danger, especially on the issue of Boko Haram.
“The way we talk about issues affecting Nigeria is making everything to look as if we are at war with one another, we must mind what we say about the President and the country. Other African countries are not happy with us, other developed countries are not happy with us but we are not the worst country. As far as I am concerned the ultimate is the peace of the country, some people said the President is weak, that he is sponsoring impeachment against his enemies and that he is encouraging BoKo Haram all these are dangerous to our democracy.”
During the reading of 108 page address by Bishop Ordu, which the church called Presidential address, the Bishop made it clear that politicians must learn how to stop politics of desperation and bitterness.
“Another round of election is here again. The political landscape is agog as usual. However, happenings in the polity give us cause for concern. The desperation by politicians either to capture power or to cling on to it has become all too alarming. The unbridled quest for power has led our political leaders to heat up the polity unnecessarily through their utterances and actions. Those already in political office and seeking re-election have abandoned matters of governance for which we gave them our priceless votes to spend more time on politicking, meetings, rented rallies and gatherings.
“They have been seriously distracted, while our land bleeds. Our politicians and leaders through their utterances and carriage have reduced politics and leaders bordering on some measure of pettiness and childishness. Cases of political killings, kidnappings, arson, destruction of public property and waste of financial resource to garner political support, litter the landscape. And we are not even in 2015 yet! The signs are quite familiar and ominous, to say the least. And with the way our leaders are going, one wonders whether we have a sense of history at all. These are the same signs that have in the past truncated our various political journeys as a country. Have we forgotten the 1983 national elections where “landslide” victories at the polls for political parties turned to a hurricane that swept everybody out of office and set us back several decades?.”
On the issue of BokoHaram, the Bishop of Evo Dioceses said recent report emanating from the United State of America in July this year has it that the Boko Haram insurgency has consumed approximately the lives of 12,000 innocent and defenceless Nigerians. “
In assessing the performance of Rivers government under the leadership of Governor Chibuike Amaechi the church said despite the political crisis rocking the state the governor through its policies has done greatly in the area of social service delivery.
“For one, Port Harcourt has achieved the status of UNESCO World Book Capital. This is no mean feat and cannot be killed on the altar of political interests. With this our city and state have come to occupy a pride of place among the few cities in the world which have enjoyed this privilege. Again we commend His Excellency for his remarkable efforts at rehabilitating, widening or constructing roads in Rivers State to ease traffic flow. We are sure the incoming administration in the state will only continue from where he has stopped. However, we must draw the attention of His Excellency to the link roads in the state many of which are in very bad shape. Rivers people have continued to suffer untold hardship on these link roads daily and we call on His Excellency to use the remaining part of his tenure to look at these roads again and put them in good order to minimize the harrows of our people on these roads.”
Highpoint of this year’s synod was to evaluate the performance of the church, thanksgiving, and fund raising through the launching of Presidential address.
