-As Okonkwo advises priests not to be partisan in politics

An erudite cleric,  and former co-ordinator, Justice, Development and Peace Committee JDPC Owerri province, Rev. Fr. Innocent Maduakolam Osuagwu has given reasons why the Catholic Church is interested in the on-going National Conference in Abuja.

In a paper he presented at a seminar organized by the JDPC of Owerri Archdiocese prior to the commencement of the Confab, Fr. Osuagwu gave seven reasons why the Church is interested in the conference:

-     The Church wants to compassionately associate herself with the destiny of her host nation and member-citizens, and the effort to do everything to correct anomalies and enthrone uprightness (righteousness); recalling the many years of crises, distress and corruption;

-     First and foremost, because the critical issue of religion will be in the front burner at the conference, the Church will certainly help our nation a lot to get the matter of religion right and engrafted into our constitution in an appropriate and just manner;

-     Because the Church is a religious establishment existing and functioning within Nigeria;

-     Because, in particular, it is the Church of Nigerians, by Nigerians and for Nigerians; and the Church is Nigerian – by locus, function, membership….

-     Because you Catholics/Christians constitute a significant percentage of Nigerians whose well-being and destiny are to be discussed; you too are concerned and you are part and parcel of the Church; and those who go to the conference do not and must not forget or throw away their Catholicity/Christianity that is an integral part of their fundamental human rights and welfare;

-     Because the Church is a frontline promoter and defender of the sacredness of the human person, human society and the common good, not only of Nigerians who are her members but also of any and all human persons and communities within our country, though age and gender, tribe and tongue, class and creed may differ;

-     Because the Church, divinely commissioned to be “Light of the Nations and Peoples” (Lumen Gentium), their “joy and hope” (Gaudium et Spes), also ministers to the world of politics.  As you know very well, our Church has always been concerned and involved in national events, in the serious matters of socio-political-economic justice, credible elections and good governance.

Some substantive issues the Church can champion at the conference according to Dr. Osuagwu include: the secularity of the Nigerian State, without the State being anti-religion; how best to guarantee religious freedom in the Constitution and how the matter of religion can be enshrined into our national Constitution without prejudice or injury to the nation and to any bona fide citizen, sections or groups of the nations.

Others include, the problematic issue of enshrining Islamic Law into the Nigerian Constitution and the unfairness of those States which foist Islamic religion on non-Moslems; by giving undue advantages of national rights only or mainly to Moslems and grudgingly and discriminatingly to non-Moslems, and playing the watchman against the infiltration of inimical laws into our Constitution.

In another paper, Chief Obiora Okonkwo lectured on “Politics: Expectations of the Citizens during Election and the Role the Church can play”.

He advised Christians not to be victims of the common saying that “politics” is dirty or that decent people should not go into politics.  There is nothing dirty in politics, he said, except that certain individuals in politics are dirty.

He therefore enjoined the church through its various agencies like the JDPC and in its prophetic mission to continue to speak out against electoral abuse and all forms of malpractices in the conduct of elections while religious leaders (the Clergy) amidst all odds and temptations maintain impartiality and, in no case, take a partisan position.

They should continue to be  objective and realistic voice for the voiceless without compromising their impartiality.

He encouraged the lay faithful to partake in politics as political involvement is a worthy and demanding expression of the Christian commitment to service

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