Obasanjo made the call in Abeokuta at the 2017 Convention
Lecture of the Victory Life Bible Church International.
He spoke on the theme: “The Role of the Church in the Fight
Against Corruption in Nigeria.”
The former president described the church as an important
and influential institution with a pivotal role in curbing and eradicating
corruption in Nigeria.
He described the anti-corruption war in Nigeria as “a fight
for the soul of the nation.’’
Obasanjo said successive governments in Nigeria had tried to
contain corruption through the enactment of laws and enforcement of integrity
systems with a slow pace of success.
“Legislations alone are not enough as they are often
breached by those who make them and those who should implement them.
“Our main problems are moral, ethical, attitudinal failure
and disorientation.
“The church is an institution that provides the moral and
ethical standards for us as believers.
“Man alone by himself cannot get rid of corruption from the
world, he needs the assistance of God.
“Here must come the society and the church with the spirit
of God to work together to undo the harm that man has done and continue to do
to the perfect work of God on earth,’’ he said.
The elder statesman, however, stressed that the
anti-corruption crusade must first be fought within the church through ridding
itself of the menace before extending it to the larger society.
“The church needs to clear its Augean stable.
“The temple of God must be cleanest to restore the holiness
of the church.
“Our present day money changers and merchants. Must be
chased out of the church.
“The pulpit must be used to teach and preach righteous and
honest living.
“To preach that one can acquire wealth without labour is not
only deceitful but also a call to corruption.
“We must be careful in believing and celebrating every
testimony of miraculous blessing otherwise we end up celebrating corruption.
“The behaviour of some of our men of God leaves much to be
desired.
“They not only celebrate but venerate those whose sources of
wealth are questionable.
“They accept gifts (offerings) from just anybody without
asking questions giving the impression that anything is acceptable in the house
of God,” he said.
He called on Christian leaders to sanitise the church for an
effective anti-corruption crusade.
The former president, who recalled that the church
played an important role in the development of Nigeria, noted that the
nation had come to another historic juncture requiring the church to play a
leading role.
“The role must be played in praying, preaching and teaching.
“This is a period of moral and ethical rebirth and the
church as an agent of socialisation must embark on moral re-armament for the
church and for the nation.
This Story was first published on PUNCH
