Communiqué from the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria

(Anglican Communion) held in Ile-Ife (March 11-14, 2009)

1.     INTRODUCTION

The Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the leadership of the Most Rev. Peter J. Akinola, Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of All Nigeria, met at All Souls Chapel and Oduduwa Hall at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, from March 10-14, 2009. The Standing Committee serves as the Executive Body of the Church of Nigeria between meetings of the General Synod. One hundred and fifty five bishops, one hundred and fifty clergy and one hundred and thirty nine laity were present. We were welcomed by the Rt Rev’d Oluranti Odubogun, Bishop of the Diocese of Ife, Professor Michael Faborode, Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, His Excellency Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Governor of Osun State and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, Olubuse II.

The theme of the meeting was “The Youth of our Church” and at the conclusion the Standing Committee issued this Communiqué:

2. UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY WITH TODAY’S YOUTH

We recognize that the youth of today are living under very different conditions from older generations. The ease of access to the global village afforded by Information Technology has a profound impact on what they believe and how they behave. We will do all that we can to secure the commitment of our youth by involving them fully in the task of nation building through the transforming mission of the church. We will challenge them, guide them, listen to them and assure them of our support.

We acknowledge the essential role of education in enabling the youth to identify and fulfill their vocation. We congratulate those States that have returned to the original owners some of the schools founded by mission organizations and then taken over by the government. We call for a full return of all schools in this category. We believe that this will help in no small measure in the crusade for national rebirth and the restoration of moral fibre and academic excellence.

3. ECONOMIC SITUATION

In the present global economic crisis, when serious minded nations of the world have taken urgent steps to invest their resources in other viable sectors of their economies, Nigeria continues to sell her oil but is not investing the huge profits from these sales wisely in productive sectors of our economy. It is a matter of grave concern that our political leaders have been and remain more concerned about exorbitant remuneration packages, excessive allowances, and payment for highly inflated and hardly completed contracts; this despite the unacceptable fact that more than seventy percent of our population continues to live in poverty.

The war against corruption has become mere rhetoric. The day of reckoning may not be far away. If Nigeria is to avoid an economic catastrophe we call on our leaders and citizenry to wake up and cultivate a new mindset of transparency and accountability. We also must chart a new economic course by developing viable non-oil sectors for sustainable wealth creation and the development of the country.

4. NATIONAL CONCERNS

Our national development depends upon political stability. Experience from the recent elections makes it clear that necessary legislation should be put in place to ensure that election petitions are concluded before the end of the tenure of incumbent political office holders. Also, the funding of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation while necessary legal apparatus for its disbursement should guarantee the availability of funds to INEC as and when necessary.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, as Nigeria’s centre for unity, should reflect the fact that it is a territory for all Nigerians and not for any particular section of the country. Accordingly, political and other appointments in the FCT should reflect the federal character of the nation.

5. RELIGIOUS CRISIS

For more than twenty years there has been an unrelenting religious crisis in Nigeria. The Christian Church has been the target of attack and has suffered irreparable losses in many parts of the North. At different times various reasons have been advanced: unemployment, poverty, politics and sectarian tensions. However, those who have perpetrated these destructive actions have never been brought to justice, operate with impunity and appear to be motivated by the conviction that if they persist they will be able to claim entire sections of Nigeria for their faith. We reject this claim.

We also view with grave concern the recent inflammatory statement by Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima calling for the total Islamization of Nigeria. This attitude threatens the very existence of our nation. Since this call violates specific Constitutional provision for the freedom of religion and his pubic oath to protect the Constitution we ask the leadership of the Senate to investigate as to whether Senator Yerima is qualified to continue to hold office.

We call for a national conference of all relevant stakeholders especially the National Assembly, Media practitioners, religious leaders and the guardians of our constitution to deal with these issues and plan for a peaceful and just future for Nigeria.  We are convinced that unless urgent action is taken we may have no future for the next generation.

6. OUR ASSURANCE

As Anglican Christians we continue to be distressed by the spiritual crisis within our own family of faith in other parts of the world. Since 2003 the unilateral revisionist actions of The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church Canada have torn the fabric of our common life. While the Church of Nigeria stands resolutely and uncompromisingly on the truth of the Holy Scriptures and the Lordship of Jesus Christ endless meetings and repeated communiqués have done nothing to bring restoration of our beloved communion. In this, however, and in all these matters our hope is not in our own efforts but in the Lord Himself. We can therefore boldly declare to our nation and to the world, “Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)