19th August, 2015
Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, the Primate, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, said on Tuesday the church had always been at the vanguard of the fight against corruption.
Okoh said this at a conference with the theme: “Ebenezer“, organised for Chancellors, Registrars and Legal Officers at the Basilica of Grace Diocese of Abuja, Gudu District, Apo, Abuja.
He was speaking against the backdrop of President Muhammadu Buhari’s resolve to fight corruption.
The Primate said that the church had been in the forefront of sensitising people to the need to live right.
Okoh called on Nigerians to live their lives devoid of corruption, adding that any Nigerian found culpable would face the wrath of the law.
“We had the privilege to see Mr President and he told us that it (corruption) is on course, and that what is happening at the moment is that he is gathering facts and statistics and that as soon as that was completed, they will start prosecution.
“The church has always been in the vanguard of Anti-Corruption crusade. Preaching and teaching that people should leave right.
“When you leave right, there will be no need for anybody to set up any panel or set up a court against anybody.
“If you take what belongs to you and I take what belongs to me, then there is no cheating.
“But a situation where somebody will take what belongs to everybody and appropriate it and then others are deprived, that is a bad situation.”
He added that owing to the fact that some quarters may not imbibe these ideas of fighting corruption; the president would have to take his time in fighting this menace.
According to him, fighting corruption is serious issues that need patience to tackle and this as well requires prayers too.
“I think the president is aware of that sentiment that such a thing could happen, and he said that is why in fact he is taking his time to ensure that it is not interpreted like that and it doesn’t happen.
“So, we should pray for him to be pains taken enough and also pray for those around him that they too will be dispassionate, will have the spirit of discernment and follow due process so that everything will be done decently and in order.”
Okoh, however, called on Nigerians to exercise some degree of patience in tackling the menace of insecurity, especially as it affects the north east.
He said that the issue of Boko Haram would soon be a thing of the past, stressing that it had affected the economy and our relationships with other international bodies.