Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Anglican Communion yesterday used its 13th Synod in Abuja as a platform to address Nigeria’s worsening economic and security challenges, urging citizens not to surrender to despair while calling on the Church to play a more active role in rebuilding the country.
Speaking at the opening session of the Synod of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) in Abuja, the Primate, Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, said the current realities of insecurity, hunger and poverty require Christians to go beyond prayers by supporting vulnerable citizens and promoting peace within their communities.
The Synod, themed, ‘The Priesthood of All Believers: Equipping God’s People for the Work of Ministry’, brought together bishops, clergy and hundreds of delegates from across the country amid growing concerns over the nation’s economic difficulties and social instability.
Ndukuba said despite the hardships confronting Nigerians, there was still cause for hope and national renewal.
“In a time when people are suffering, in a time of insecurity, fear, hunger and poverty, it is necessary for us to make ourselves available not only to God but also to the people around us,” he said.
He added that Nigeria’s present challenges would not define its future if citizens remained steadfast and united.
“We are trusting God that the light of hope will not go out. Rather, God will strengthen us so that in the face of challenges, we will stand strong to declare the counsel and excellency of God. God will hear us, deliver our nation and help our people,” the Primate stated.
The cleric said the church must increasingly position itself as a source of moral direction and social support in a period marked by uncertainty and public anxiety.
Also speaking, diplomat and statesman, Godknows Boladei Igali, described the Synod as an important convergence of faith and national responsibility, noting that discussions at the gathering extend beyond church administration to issues affecting the country.
According to him, Abuja’s status as the nation’s capital gives the Synod added significance because of its proximity to the country’s political leadership and institutions of governance.
“It is also significant because Abuja is the capital of the country. The prayers here are not only for the church, but for the government, the president and the nation as a whole,” Igali said.
He noted that about 600 delegates were expected to deliberate on how the church and individual believers could become more relevant in addressing societal challenges and promoting civic responsibility.
Igali also described the theme of the Synod as a deliberate effort to encourage ordinary Christians to see themselves as active contributors to national development and community transformation.
The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Emeka Etiaba, described the gathering as a period of reflection and strategic planning for the Anglican Communion.
“Synod is a time of soul-searching… to take account of what has gone on, what is happening now, and where the church will go in the next one year,” Etiaba said.
He expressed optimism that the meeting would strengthen the church’s ability to respond meaningfully to the social and economic realities facing Nigerians.
Also speaking, Justice of the Court of Appeal, Sybil Nwaka Gbagi, said the Synod represented a moment of gratitude and renewed hope for both the church and the country.
Delegates at the Synod are expected to continue deliberations on strengthening ministry, expanding community engagement and redefining the role of the Church in responding to Nigeria’s evolving economic and social challenges.
