Anglican Primate Urges Politicians to Put National Interest Above Personal Ambition

The Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, has urged political elites to prioritize national interest over personal ambitions and emulate the sacrifices made by Nigeria’s founding fathers for the nation’s development.

Speaking at the opening of this year’s World Mission Congress in Abuja, Most Reverend Ndukuba recalled how the country’s founding fathers stood united against colonial powers to secure Nigeria’s independence in 1960.

He lamented the prevailing situation where politicians exploit religion and ethnic divisions to achieve their goals, often at the expense of peace, unity, and national progress.

The Archbishop passionately appealed to the current administration not to relent in promoting justice and ensuring equitable distribution of resources, which he said would help improve the lives of less privileged citizens.

Commending the steps already taken to address insecurity, he urged the Federal Government to demonstrate stronger political will and expose those behind terrorism and banditry to restore peace across the nation.

According to him, certain privileged individuals, including traditional and political leaders, are complicit in the country’s insecurity, stressing the importance of ordinary citizens working with security agencies to overcome insurgency.

“Development cannot be achieved until the government decisively addresses insecurity, which continues to cripple socio-economic activities across the country,” he noted.

Most Reverend Ndukuba also emphasized that church leaders must not allow the country’s challenges to hinder the spread of the Gospel of Christ.

He assured that the Anglican Church would continue to strengthen its support in education and empowerment initiatives to ease the burdens of the underprivileged and give a voice to the voiceless in society.

The World Mission Congress, themed “Arise and Shine; Pushing the Frontier of Global Mission”, is being attended by representatives of religious bodies from within and outside Nigeria.