TIlE FIRST NATIONAL ANGLICAN CONFERENCE ON “WELFARE OF THE NATION: THE ROLE OF THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION IN NATION BUILDING” HELD FROM WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28 TO FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2006
The venue was the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Gwarimpa — Abuja. It attracted the House of Bishops, House of Clergy, and the Laity as well as Anglican friends.
Various papers were presented by experts in education, health, politics, economics, the media. youths, moral values, history of the Church among others.
The conference was born out of dissatisfaction with the state of the nation, and a feeling that the enduring values pioneered by the Anglican Church, seem to have been lost in the present atmosphere of greed, self-seeking facet of our national life. The Anglican Church, through its pioneering contributions to health, education, social, economic and political development, led the Vanguard of hard work, dedication, patriotism, discipline and orderly growth.
These enduring values impacted on the founding fathers of the nation such as Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Alvan Ikoku among others. Most of them died without leaving behind any material empire to their name. They are remembered for their patriotism, hard work, selfless service and integrity.
These priceless legacies seem to have been lost to the present political class.
The focus of the conference was to document and celebrate these enduring legacies and to challenge the present generation of Nigerians to ask itself what legacies it seeks to leave to its future generations.
Message to the Church
At the end of the conference it was resolved that:
1. The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion should not be seen to associate itself with the present day decay in the society. It should not and cannot limit itself to evangelizing efforts, management of parishes and mere supervision of liturgy and doctrines of the church, for the decay in the society demands more sustained effort to stem and reverse the evil now ravaging the nation.
2. To this end, there is the need for the Church to return to its history to appreciate what had been, ascertain what and where we are, to enable it predict where it is going.
3. Regarding calls for return of schools to the church, a committee should be constituted to examine the merits and demerits of returning schools to the church vis-à-vis expressed fears and reports of successes recorded in some schools already returned to the church and make recommendations.
4. For the church to lead by example, it needs to do some serious and honest work about its internal unity.
5. Medical routine checks should be conducted for church members with emphasis on blood pressure, while recreation activities and regular physical exercise should be encouraged. Physical exercises can come in the form of singing and dancing in the church.
6. That the Church should continue to pursue and provide quality education and health care delivery for which it is known, with a view to breaking the shackles of ignorance and poverty.
7. That the church should as a matter of policy implement economic empowerment programmes and target specific sectors of the economy to invest surplus funds, with a view to supporting expansion and charity related projects.
8. That the Church should encourage women especially the girl-child to acquire knowledge e.g. formal training/education on vocational skill acquisition to enable them manage better and prevent matrimonial dislocation and conjugal disharmonies arising from poverty and over-dependence on their men and should channel their energies to the service of God and humanity.
9. The Church continue to speak out when rights are subverted and violated in the nation and against societal ills that hamper true nation-building, and encourage its members to participate in partisan politics.. It should join in the on-going fight against corruption and inculcate good norms and values by condemning acts that are inconsistent with the Christian faith.
10. The church should endeavour to maintain its holy status, by rejecting and discouraging the donation of ill-gotten wealth to the church.
a. The clergy should be given better training, not only in divinity, but also in the social sciences. They should be more properly paid and catered for, to keep them from mortgaging their consciences.
11. The church should establish a scholarship fund to assist brilliant but indigent students as well as increase investment in youth development.
12. The issue of endowment fund should be encouraged and taken more spiritually for the church to have strong influence in the society. The Church must of necessity be economically self-reliant.
13. The Church should be actively involved in policy advocacy in areas of resource allocation, encourage and reward performance, promote a transparent regulatory system, accountability and effective enforcement of laws, rules and regulations.
14. On marriage, the conference agreed that marriage between man and woman is the official position of the Anglican Communion, and confirmed by its laws, and condemned in its entirely homosexuality and same sex marriage.
THE FIRST NATIONAL ANGLICAN CONFERENCE ON “WELFARE OF THE NATION: THE ROLE OF THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION IN NATION BUILDING” HELD FROM WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28 TO FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2006.
The venue was the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Gwarimpa — Abuja. It attracted the House of Bishops, House of Clergy, and the Laity as well as Anglican friends.
Various papers were presented by experts in education, health, politics, economics, the media, youths moral values, history of the Church among others.
The conference was born out of dissatisfaction with the state of the nation, and a feeling that the enduring values pioneered by the Anglican Church, seem to have been lost in the present atmosphere of greed, self-seeking and corruption that pervades every facet of our national life. The Anglican Church, through its pioneering contributions to health, education, social, economic and political development, led the Vanguard of hard work, dedication, patriotism, discipline and orderly growth.
These enduring values impacted on the founding fathers of the nation such as Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Alvan lkoku among others. Most of them died without leaving behind any material empire to their name. They are remembered for their patriotism, hardwork, selfless service and integrity.
These priceless legacies seem to have been lost to the present political class.
The focus of the conference was to document and celebrate these enduring legacies and to challenge the present generation of Nigerians to ask itself what legacies it seeks to leave to its future generations.
COMMUNIQUÉ
1. The conference calls on the nation not to be led away by the lure of money politics and the deception of those who ruined the country in the past. Rather all Nigerians should seek out and encourage leaders who exemplify the lasting ethics of integrity, honestly, hard work, selfless service, and patriotism.
2. It appeals to the nation’s electorate not to mortgage its votes or cast it for dubious, self-seeking and corrupt people no matter the glamour of the promises of political office seekers.
3. Notwithstanding the laudable achievements of the present administration to reverse the ills of many decades of neglect, the conference calls on the present political office seekers to tell the nation the concrete plans they have to deal with the existing challenges that face the nation — challenges such as massive unemployment, fallen standards of education and health care, decadent infrastructure roads, water, electricity- corruption, must ice, and the endemic underdevelopment of the economy.
4. It challenges the present political class to ask itself what legacies it is seeking to leave for posterity.
5. The conference re-affirms that in the quest to redress the ugly trend in the country harmonious co-existence, religious tolerance and peace should be uppermost, for if there is no peace there will be no prosperity.
6. The Conference enjoins INEC to ensure that present election time table conforms with relevant constitutional provisions in order to block loopholes that could encourage election malpractice.
7. That all believers should endeavor to be registered to vote and become card carrying members of any political party of their choice. They should offer themselves for elective office in the forthcoming elections in 2007.
8. That the six geo-political zones, with their cultural peculiarities, must be encouraged to blend like the colours of the rainbow in sharing and mutually enjoying the human and natural resources of the country.
9. That Christian media practitioners must remain in the vanguard of nation building as a flag bearer in shining the light for Christ, presenting researched and balanced reports and promoting the well being of the various groups in Nigeria.
10. The media should remain resolute in its various public enlightenment campaigns and advocacy, propagate ideals and programmes of government on good corporate responsibility, governance, human rights, anti-graft and reform process, as well as shun corruption and political influences.
Signed:
Justice A. G. Karibi-Whyte Dr. Femi Ogunsanya Chairman Planning Committee Secretary Planning Committee
The Most Revd. Peter J. Akinola, CON, D.D.
The venue was the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Gwarimpa — Abuja. It attracted the House of Bishops, House of Clergy, and the Laity as well as Anglican friends.
Various papers were presented by experts in education, health, politics, economics, the media. youths, moral values, history of the Church among others.
The conference was born out of dissatisfaction with the state of the nation, and a feeling that the enduring values pioneered by the Anglican Church, seem to have been lost in the present atmosphere of greed, self-seeking facet of our national life. The Anglican Church, through its pioneering contributions to health, education, social, economic and political development, led the Vanguard of hard work, dedication, patriotism, discipline and orderly growth.
These enduring values impacted on the founding fathers of the nation such as Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Alvan Ikoku among others. Most of them died without leaving behind any material empire to their name. They are remembered for their patriotism, hard work, selfless service and integrity.
These priceless legacies seem to have been lost to the present political class.
The focus of the conference was to document and celebrate these enduring legacies and to challenge the present generation of Nigerians to ask itself what legacies it seeks to leave to its future generations.
Message to the Church
At the end of the conference it was resolved that:
1. The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion should not be seen to associate itself with the present day decay in the society. It should not and cannot limit itself to evangelizing efforts, management of parishes and mere supervision of liturgy and doctrines of the church, for the decay in the society demands more sustained effort to stem and reverse the evil now ravaging the nation.
2. To this end, there is the need for the Church to return to its history to appreciate what had been, ascertain what and where we are, to enable it predict where it is going.
3. Regarding calls for return of schools to the church, a committee should be constituted to examine the merits and demerits of returning schools to the church vis-à-vis expressed fears and reports of successes recorded in some schools already returned to the church and make recommendations.
4. For the church to lead by example, it needs to do some serious and honest work about its internal unity.
5. Medical routine checks should be conducted for church members with emphasis on blood pressure, while recreation activities and regular physical exercise should be encouraged. Physical exercises can come in the form of singing and dancing in the church.
6. That the Church should continue to pursue and provide quality education and health care delivery for which it is known, with a view to breaking the shackles of ignorance and poverty.
7. That the church should as a matter of policy implement economic empowerment programmes and target specific sectors of the economy to invest surplus funds, with a view to supporting expansion and charity related projects.
8. That the Church should encourage women especially the girl-child to acquire knowledge e.g. formal training/education on vocational skill acquisition to enable them manage better and prevent matrimonial dislocation and conjugal disharmonies arising from poverty and over-dependence on their men and should channel their energies to the service of God and humanity.
9. The Church continue to speak out when rights are subverted and violated in the nation and against societal ills that hamper true nation-building, and encourage its members to participate in partisan politics.. It should join in the on-going fight against corruption and inculcate good norms and values by condemning acts that are inconsistent with the Christian faith.
10. The church should endeavour to maintain its holy status, by rejecting and discouraging the donation of ill-gotten wealth to the church.
a. The clergy should be given better training, not only in divinity, but also in the social sciences. They should be more properly paid and catered for, to keep them from mortgaging their consciences.
11. The church should establish a scholarship fund to assist brilliant but indigent students as well as increase investment in youth development.
12. The issue of endowment fund should be encouraged and taken more spiritually for the church to have strong influence in the society. The Church must of necessity be economically self-reliant.
13. The Church should be actively involved in policy advocacy in areas of resource allocation, encourage and reward performance, promote a transparent regulatory system, accountability and effective enforcement of laws, rules and regulations.
14. On marriage, the conference agreed that marriage between man and woman is the official position of the Anglican Communion, and confirmed by its laws, and condemned in its entirely homosexuality and same sex marriage.
THE FIRST NATIONAL ANGLICAN CONFERENCE ON “WELFARE OF THE NATION: THE ROLE OF THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION IN NATION BUILDING” HELD FROM WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28 TO FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2006.
The venue was the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Gwarimpa — Abuja. It attracted the House of Bishops, House of Clergy, and the Laity as well as Anglican friends.
Various papers were presented by experts in education, health, politics, economics, the media, youths moral values, history of the Church among others.
The conference was born out of dissatisfaction with the state of the nation, and a feeling that the enduring values pioneered by the Anglican Church, seem to have been lost in the present atmosphere of greed, self-seeking and corruption that pervades every facet of our national life. The Anglican Church, through its pioneering contributions to health, education, social, economic and political development, led the Vanguard of hard work, dedication, patriotism, discipline and orderly growth.
These enduring values impacted on the founding fathers of the nation such as Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Alvan lkoku among others. Most of them died without leaving behind any material empire to their name. They are remembered for their patriotism, hardwork, selfless service and integrity.
These priceless legacies seem to have been lost to the present political class.
The focus of the conference was to document and celebrate these enduring legacies and to challenge the present generation of Nigerians to ask itself what legacies it seeks to leave to its future generations.
COMMUNIQUÉ
1. The conference calls on the nation not to be led away by the lure of money politics and the deception of those who ruined the country in the past. Rather all Nigerians should seek out and encourage leaders who exemplify the lasting ethics of integrity, honestly, hard work, selfless service, and patriotism.
2. It appeals to the nation’s electorate not to mortgage its votes or cast it for dubious, self-seeking and corrupt people no matter the glamour of the promises of political office seekers.
3. Notwithstanding the laudable achievements of the present administration to reverse the ills of many decades of neglect, the conference calls on the present political office seekers to tell the nation the concrete plans they have to deal with the existing challenges that face the nation — challenges such as massive unemployment, fallen standards of education and health care, decadent infrastructure roads, water, electricity- corruption, must ice, and the endemic underdevelopment of the economy.
4. It challenges the present political class to ask itself what legacies it is seeking to leave for posterity.
5. The conference re-affirms that in the quest to redress the ugly trend in the country harmonious co-existence, religious tolerance and peace should be uppermost, for if there is no peace there will be no prosperity.
6. The Conference enjoins INEC to ensure that present election time table conforms with relevant constitutional provisions in order to block loopholes that could encourage election malpractice.
7. That all believers should endeavor to be registered to vote and become card carrying members of any political party of their choice. They should offer themselves for elective office in the forthcoming elections in 2007.
8. That the six geo-political zones, with their cultural peculiarities, must be encouraged to blend like the colours of the rainbow in sharing and mutually enjoying the human and natural resources of the country.
9. That Christian media practitioners must remain in the vanguard of nation building as a flag bearer in shining the light for Christ, presenting researched and balanced reports and promoting the well being of the various groups in Nigeria.
10. The media should remain resolute in its various public enlightenment campaigns and advocacy, propagate ideals and programmes of government on good corporate responsibility, governance, human rights, anti-graft and reform process, as well as shun corruption and political influences.
Signed:
Justice A. G. Karibi-Whyte Dr. Femi Ogunsanya Chairman Planning Committee Secretary Planning Committee
The Most Revd. Peter J. Akinola, CON, D.D.
