The Primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), The Most Reverend Henry C. Ndukuba, has urged Nigerian politicians to be mindful of the welfare of citizens.
Primate Ndukuba made the demand on the occasion of the 10th anniversary celebration of the Advent Cable Network of Nigeria (ACNN) on Monday in Abuja.
Delivering his remark at the auspicious occasion, the Primate noted that the tenth anniversary of the platform is a significant milestone and a testament of God’s faithfulness.
He revealed that the station has grown to having over 4million viewership all over the world, as he expressed hope for further expansion in years to come.
“ACNN is a tool for advancing the work of the kingdom of God. As a media and television station, this outfit was established in the year 2013 with a focus to keeping the orthodox faith alive.
“ACNN for now transmits through free to air digital HD decoder reaching as many as three continents, Africa, Asia and Europe. And over 70 countries of the world and reaching about 4 million households across the world.
“It has faithfully pursued its vision of building a television station that is focused on the mandate of our Lord Jesus Christ and the church, which is the Great Commission.
“This station is rooted in biblical authority and spiritual dynamism of the Anglican Communion. As we commemorate this anniversary, we are reminded of the power of the media and its ability to share our lands and our communities and in our nation,” he said.
Most critically the Primate expressed dismay over the prevailing economic hardship bedeviling Nigerian citizens, as he called on politicians and the government to be mindful of the welfare of the people no matter how they got to power.
He said,”We thank God for making us to be independent, to be a free nation, a nation that can think for yourself, plan for yourself, execute and see to the welfare of the citizens and also contribute our quota in the commity of nations throughout the world and for our president to have addressed the world during the General Assembly of the United Nations shows that Nigeria has something to offer.
“And as we celebrate our 63 anniversary, we can see that there may be some challenges. It is always said that Rome was not built in a day. And when you think of America at the age of 63, or United Kingdom at the age of 63, all other nations of the world, the great nations that will look up to, it will be very clear that Nigeria has not done badly.
“We have our challenges that we must agree, and not only accepting that we have challenges, but also that we are willing and determined to address those challenges. And one of the areas that we have challenge is our economy. A good economy or strong economy is an outcome of many other factors. The stability of the monetary system, the sustainability of the economy, and the possibility of growth, industrially and otherwise.
“But also, you think of security and you think of other things. So there are so many other things that are contributing to the economy. And when the political system is not something that the international community can put trust in or investors can vouch for stability, no serious investor will come.
“And when there is no development in some key areas that will have a ripple effect that will impact on the economy and the citizens. Because when you talk of the economy, we are talking about the citizens, the life of the ordinary Nigerians. When our key resources are not properly managed, there is a dependency that the economy will be weak.
“There are many other factors to the debt burden in fact if Nigeria would go to the United Nations and begin to plead that our debts be canceled even when over 90% of our income is being used to service our debts people will laugh at us. The nations will laugh at us.
“Look at the small country of Ukraine in war and yet other nations are depending on them to buy wheat, to buy food, to feed their own. Look at the vastness of our land. What stops Nigeria from taking that place. And they are weaponizing food and power as Russia is being accused, what stops us from taking that place and I think that we have all it takes, but some key areas are not properly managed.
“And even the good programs of the government palliatives to help the needy, giving some money to help the subsistence farmers, helping the little business people. These are wonderful ideas, but how many of them really get them and use them, who monitors it?
“When some of those money are released out of good program and plan of the government, but some of the implementors will divert them for their own personal use, the ordinary person will suffer. We have wonderful programs, but the implementation is fraught with issues. So I think that there is a need for what the government has started to pursue.
“The assemblage of the team that is in place now must be given a free hand and opportunity to bring in their knowledge. The technocrats cannot walk, if they will not be given the free hand to operate. They must be allowed to do what they should professionally do.
“And the politicians should be mindful of the welfare of the people. No matter how they get to that position, no matter who they think will be the sustaining power, the life of ordinary Nigerians, the future of this nation is at stake. And we all must salvage it together. Let us walk together and to our best. The best place to be is in Nigeria.
“And I know that with all that God has blessed us with Nigeria is destined to be a great nation. God bless Nigeria.”
The Primate also harped on the need for equity and justice as panacea for enduring peace in the country.
Also speaking, former Archbishop of Abuja Province and Primate of the Church of Nigeria in Anglican Communion, Nicholas Okoh thanked God for what He has done for ACNN.
On the country’s economic and political crises, Okoh encouraged the youths to be involved in politics so as to take over the mantle of leadership from the present crop of leaders.
He said,” There are countries that about our stage, which have made tremendous forward movement. I see that we have so many negative things holding our legs, why we cannot move forward. My view is that we could have moved further than we are aware that the political class and also maybe the military have not allowed us to move as fast as we should move.
“It is therefore a challenge to our youth to see that their future is better than what it is now. They may have fought in the last election. They made tremendous effort and most give that credit but unfortunately their efforts did not use the desired result.
“So, they should not give up. If they want to succeed in life, they should not give up they must take over from the class of people leading now. Because the class of people need to now they have nothing to lose. They have already succeeded in their own different ways in life. They are pensioners. There are people who have undergraduate and gratuity. There are people who are chiefs in so many places. There are people who have been honored in so many places, so they are not looking forward to anything.
“It is the youth who want to be promoted, who want to marry who want to get degrees, who want to be mentioned in any special citation. These are the people who need to struggle and move forward. And they should also struggle and move forward in politics and take over.”
In his goodwill message, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye said digital evangelism is imperative for modern-day Christians, adding that it is the duty of the church to counter negative messages that are trending online.
“Digital evangelism is an imperative for modern-day Christians. I think it is inevitable. And thank God for COVID. The parameters mentioned in COVID coding did many things, not just negative. One of the things that COVID did was to show an alternative that many of us are not about it our minds.
“Christians overlook the fact that the devil is using the digital space very effectively, we can’t stay away from it. It used to be said that some churches thought that the digital space was evil. But then Jesus had said to us that we are not calling for those who are already saved, but those who are lost.
“And so as you have good messages online, you have bad messages online, it is the duty of the church to be in that space in order to counter the work of the devil.
“And so it is very clear to me what the mission of ACNN and the vision are, and those who have sustained it, and what that message is. Every church that is going to fulfill the Great Commission in modern times has no choice but to complement physical evangelism. We cannot reach the world on foot,” he said.
Also represented at the occasion was the Comptroller General of Customs, among other critical stakeholders and dignitaries.
