Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, has called on Catholic Bishops in Nigeria to intensify their prayers for peace and progress in the country and for a peaceful conduct of the November 11 governorship election in the state.
The governor also urged the clergy not to relent in chastising politicians when they err and to commend them when they do the right thing.
Uzodimma, who spoke on Wednesday during the 5th National Mission Congress of Nigeria (NAMICON) at the Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, said “with the development around the globe, all eyes are on Nigeria as the spiritual light of the world”.
He said he was glad that the congress was coming just before the Imo State governorship election next month and urged the clergymen to use their spiritual positions to pray for the will of God to prevail in the election.
“Pray for a peaceful election that will glorify God,” Uzodimma said, assuring that his administration would continue to support the church in all its activities as well as facilitate the mission of the church across the globe.
“It behoves on all of us to win souls through our various activities, be it inside or outside government, and I believe that both spiritual and temporal ordinances of our work will speak for us,” he said.
Governor Uzodimma commended the clergy for their interventions and courage in speaking truth to power by way of counselling or advising political leaders and urged them to continue to “chastise politicians when they go wrong and commend them when they do right”.
The Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Most Rev. Dr. Lucius Ugorji, in a welcome address delivered by the Auxiliary Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Moses Chikwe, regretted that Nigerian Christians are living in fear and worry as a result of insecurity, gradual wiping out and or sacking of Christians from their homes, fear about the economy, bad governance, injustice, corruption and political agony.
He called on Christians to assume the position of missionaries in the country, working with that mindset based on the diverse evils they experience on a daily basis.
He reminded the clergy that the current societal challenges are like raw materials they needed to do their work and prayed that the spiritual gathering would be used to “renew, reinvigorate and empower” them to “proclaim Christ without fear”.
The Episcopal Chairman, Mission and Dialogue, Most Rev. Stephen Dami Mamza, in a keynote address noted that the National Mission Congress of Nigeria is held every four years and used to remind the Catholic faithful of their role in praying for the society.
He said the theme of the congress, “Fear not, for I am with you”, was apt, coming at a time “when people are facing a lot of threats to lives, unfavourable political decision and are even afraid of the judiciary which is supposed to be the last hope of the common man”.
He said regardless of all the ills, “God is saying, ‘Fear not, for I am with you’”.
Bishop Mamza emphasised that “human beings are already living with fear as an integral part of human existence” and that the “time we are into demands that we be more united, integrated and strengthened to fight against the orchestrated fears”.
He said the Church should be courageous, have trust and faith and be resilient to overcome all fears, enjoining the clergy, the laity and delegates to work towards ending the congress with the mindset of overcoming their fear and journeying forward in a stronger faith.
The four-day event, which held 24-27 October 2023, was attended by more than 10 bishops from different Catholic Dioceses in Nigeria.
