By Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie
Dear Mr. President,
We read from the media the admonition to religious and traditional rulers at a recent interfaith conference inAbuja .
You advised them to refrain from partisan politics so as not to lose the esteem
people have for them.
Your admonition was in order, and for this you
deserve commendation. Religious and traditional rulers should be agents
of unity and reconciliation especially in this era of dangerously divisive
politics heightened by the incivility that comes with every election season in We read from the media the admonition to religious and traditional rulers at a recent interfaith conference in
Mr. President, we are in danger in Nigeria today
because politics is separated from morality. Instead of working for the
common good our politicians, with very few exceptions, are working for their
selfish interests. Their primary objective is how to get into power and
how to remain in power. This kind of politics is a breach of security and
an impediment to development. When politicians divorce politics from
morality, it would be irresponsible on the part of religious and traditional
leaders who ought to be custodians of values to leave politicians to set this
country ablaze.
*Buhari |
In a Nigeria that was once set ablaze by a quarrel between two politicians, a
quarrel that led Nigeria into a bloody civil war, religious leaders who are
able to broker peace have the responsibility to at least ensure that they
reconcile. Some of us, despite being threatened and maligned by some
media aides, will continue to engage politicians to ensure that they do not
take Nigeria
back to 1966-70. That is why some of us speak. As religious and traditional
leaders, we must speak for what is true, what is good, and what promotes
peaceful coexistence. Unfortunately, when some of us do so and it does not
favour some politicians, that is when they say we are partisan.
Just as one may not deny that there are politicians
who act for the sake of the common good, one may not deny that the
interventions of some religious leaders betray a self-serving agenda.
Every religious leader must examine his conscience. But in all this,
those who claim to prophesy good tidings for politicians, despite the
misconduct of the politicians in question receive accolades while those who
speak the truth to power for the sake of the common good are maligned by media
aides in the Presidency and in the offices of State Governors. That is
not only partisan, it is hypocritical.
You warned that religious and traditional
leaders risk losing their esteem if they continue to be “partisan.”
Again, you are right. It is not the vocation of religious leaders to
campaign for or against any political party or candidate. It is rather
their role to provide a much-needed critique of parties, candidates and
ideologies. In the process of doing so, fortunes of parties and their
candidates may be affected at the polls. If to be an artisan of peace is to be
partisan, then we plead guilty.
Your speeches, actions and policies touch the
life of the man or woman worshipping in our churches and mosques, bringing them
relief or pain. Where they bring relief, they will be commended.
Where they bring pain, they will be condemned. Such has been the vocation
of prophets. True prophets do not tremble before kings. Kings
tremble before them. Many have been persecuted or maligned. Some have
even been assassinated because of that. But because the message is greater
than the messenger, they cannot but speak out. That is why, dear Mr. President,
a religious leader who is unprepared to risk his reputation and comfort for the
sake of the common good does not fit the bill.
*Cardinal Okogie is the Archbishop Emeritus
of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos .
"True Prophets do not tremble before kings,Kings tremble before them." I agree with the Arch bishop
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