Sincerity, Equitability among Qualities Nigerian Leaders Need to Address Challenges

Abuja, 10 July, 2023 / 9:00 PM

To address the “countless challenges” the people of God in the West African nation of Nigeria are experiencing, the country’s leaders need to practice sincerity, equitability, and prudence in addition to “fervent prayers”, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama has said.

In his Sunday, July 9 homily at the Sacred Heart Parish of his Metropolitan See, Archbishop Kaigama of Nigeria’s Abuja Archdiocese said, “The current hardships faced by Nigerians can be addressed only if there is sincere leadership across the board, prudent management of resources, equitable distribution of resources/positions of authority, and fervent prayers.”

Making reference to the first reading from the book of Zachariah, the Nigerian Catholic Archbishop highlighted other practices Nigerians need to undertake to surmount the current hardships.

He said, “Zechariah today raises our hope that as a nation faced with countless challenges, we shall overcome them when we take the path of humility, responsible use of our resources, sincere attention to the poor, with leaders who are truly agents of social harmony, and peace.”

“Political progress or success is not about the millions or billions of Naira in the pockets of a few or about how influential officials can swing to their side the pendulum of important decisions to the utter neglect of the poor and miserable,” the Local Ordinary of Abuja since November 2019 cautioned. 

Unlike politicians who fail to keep their promises to the electorate, Archbishop Kaigama challenged Christians in Africa’s most populous nation to emulate Jesus Christ who remains faithful to His promises.

“Our politicians make promises and fail, not Jesus. We take oaths of office and treat them with ignominy,” he said, adding, “We melodiously sing the national anthem, oblivious of the meaningfully chosen words, just as we sometimes sing beautiful church hymns but fail to live them out.”

The Archbishop who started his Episcopal Ministry in April 1995 as Bishop of Nigeria’s Jalingo Diocese continued, “Let us rush to Jesus with our burdens of spiritual dryness, sickness, economic hardship, insecurity, etc. God alone offers us true hope of redemption and liberation from all our troubles and trials.”

“In saying to us that His yoke is easy and His burden light, Jesus teaches us that though we may be faced with obstacles and challenges, God always journeys with us,” Archbishop Kaigama said, making reference to the Sunday Gospel reading from St. Matthew.