The Full Speech By Former President Olusegun Obasanjo Indicting Church Leaders For Aiding Corruption In The Country
Here is the full speech by former president Olusegun Obasanjo indicting church leaders for corruption in the country
“The Role of the Church in
the Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria”
by
His Excellency Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo
At the Convention of
Victory Life Bible Church International (VLBC)
Victory City, Opp. OGTV,
Abeokuta, Sat. April 8, 2017
___________________________________________________________________
PROTOCOLS
INTRODUCTION
Corruption
is a form of dishonest or unethical conduct by a person or group of persons,
entrusted with a position of authority or an activity which involves financial
or any other resources, outside his or her own, often with a view to acquiring
personal or group benefits. Corruption is also the misuse of a public office or
a position of authority and responsibility for private material or social gain
at the expense of other people, individual or corporate. It includes bribery
which is the use of reward to pervert the judgement of a person in a position
of trust, nepotism which is bestowal of patronage by reason of prescriptive
relationship rather than merit and misappropriation which is appropriation of
public resources for private use. Corruption can be variously grouped into
political, financial, ethnic and personal types although corruption is
corruption no matter how leniently or loosely put.
It
must be stated that ‘political corruption’ is a persistent phenomenon in
Nigeria and there is politics everywhere including the Church, especially if
politics is seen as concerned with power, status, influence within an
organisation rather than with matters of principle.
Corruption
has been in existence in all strata for ages and it cannot go away easily but
it can be curbed. We all have our fair share in encouraging corruption but
unfortunately, it is becoming more rampant, in the political circle and in
governments in various countries particularly among developing nations
including Nigeria. Transparency International is the global civil society
organisation leading the fight against corruption.
It
must be emphasised that though the Transparency International rated developing
countries as more corrupt, they are encouraged largely by some of these
developed countries because these regions serve as opportunistic avenues for
hiding or domiciling their ill-gotten riches, sometimes for greater returns
when compared with being in the home or developing countries.
COMING TO NIGERIA
According
to ICPC Act (Section 2), corruption includes vices like bribery, fraud and
other related offences which can include award of contracts, promotion of
staff, dispensation of justices, misuse of public offices, embezzlement of
public funds, inclusion in the payroll of non-existent workers known as ghost
workers, amongst other numerous offences. Broadly put, the dishonest and
illegal behaviour exhibited, especially by people in authority for their
personal gain is corruption. The perception index of transparency
internationally ranked Nigeria in 2015/16, 144th of the 146 countries, beating
Bangladesh and Haiti to last positions. Unfortunately, the perpetrators do not
fear any punishment or consequences because the legislators free them from
scrutiny and Governors’ claims to be immune.
Historical
presentations have shown that corruption has been in place in Nigeria for
decades.
During
my tenure as democratically-elected President of Nigeria in 1999, a bill was
presented to the National Assembly on prohibition and punishment for bribery
and corruption and other related offences. I took that bold step then. However,
how far has this actually helped in the eradication or better still, in
reduction of corruption in the country? Unfortunately, the act has continued to
spread like a wildfire, from Federal to the States, to the Local Government
level and to other authorities; even within the educational sector in Nigeria,
from secondary to university levels. A student bribing lecturer for higher
grades is corruption. Lower clerics have been found to be bribing his (and now)
her way through to be promoted even in the ‘house’ of God! Evidences also
abound in which female staff enjoy unqualified rapid promotion, in many offices
and organisations particularly among the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
President
Muhammadu Buhari defined corruption as the greatest form of human rights
violation. Since the creation of modern public administration in the country,
there have been cases of official misuse of funds and resources. The rise of
public administration and the discovery of oil and natural gas are two major
events seen to have led to the increase in corrupt practices in the country.
The
government has tried to contain corruption through the enactment of laws and
the enforcement of integrity systems, but success has been slow in coming.
Legislations alone are not enough as they are often breached by those who make
them and those who should implement them. In 2012, Nigeria was estimated to
have lost over $400 billion to corruption since independence.
Corruption
is very pervasive and at times not too glaring to the public. It is a
systematic problem in our society and thus should be addressed systematically
right from the root, stem and branches. To curb it, children, youth and adults
must be given the power to distinguish between the rights and the wrongs.
Schools should return to the teaching of moral education to empower children
with the spirit of stewardship and scholarship, while adults live exemplary
lives, reflecting truth, kindness, healthy competition, dignity in labour and
integrity. It must be all hands on deck within the society.
THE CHURCH
The
fight against corruption in Nigeria is the fight for the soul and survival of
Nigeria. Like cancer, corruption is gradually killing the country. Now is the
time for all of us, as individuals and institutions, to be active participant
in the fight. The Church is an important and influential institution in our
society. Our main problems are moral, ethical and attitudinal failure and
disorientation. The Church is an institution that provides the moral and
ethical standards for us as believers.
For
the Church to perform its roles properly and adequately, it must firmly
strengthen itself by the Scripture. First, God did not create a corrupt world.
“God saw all that He had made, and it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). God created a
perfect world which man with his depravity corrupted to the disappointment and
dissatisfaction of God. “God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the
people on earth had corrupted their ways” (Gen. 6: 12). It was God’s
displeasure with corruption on earth that brought about Noah. “I am going to
put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of
them” (Gen. 6: 13). And then post-flood world of Noah was not corruption-free
for any length of time. But there are examples and role models in both Old and
New Testaments to guide the Church and the children of God on how to resist and
fight corruption.
In
the Old Testament, the word “bribery” is often used to refer to corruption. In
the book of Exodus, Moses gives the following instruction: “Do not accept a
bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twist the words of the righteous”
(Exo. 23:8). There can never be true justice when corruption and bribery are involved
because the eyes are closed to the truth. Taking a bribe is obviously an
offence against God, the weak, the innocent and the community. It is a sin.
Solomon puts more graphically when he says, “a wicked man accepts a bribe in
secret to pervert the course of justice” (Pro. 17: 23).
Daniel
was a paragon of integrity. Here is the testimony, “The administrators and the
satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of
government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no
corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor
negligent” (Dan. 6: 4). Greed is the root cause of corruption but Solomon
counters the attitude. “Better a little with righteousness than much with
injustice” (Pro. 16:5). Contentment is a good virtue and a good attribute to be
cultivated. On a personal level, every believer must guard against temptation,
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore
him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted” (Gal. 6: 1). “So,
if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall” (1 Cor. 10:
12).
In
the book of Isaiah, we are told in Chapter 5 Verse 23 that “they take bribes to
let the wicked go free and they punish the innocent”.
These
verses and many others (Ezek. 22 v 12, Ps. 15 vs 1 – 5) show us the negative
effects of corruption, perversion of justice, shedding of blood, exploitation,
mal-distribution of a nation’s resources, etc. which in totality means the
growth and development of the society is arrested or stunted. Jesus condemned
in strong terms the corruption and malpractices of the Pharisees and the
shopkeepers within the Synagogue surroundings. And Jesus was a victim of Judas
Iscariot’s corruption.
Based
on my knowledge of the negative impact of corruption in our society and the
determination to fight it, I had this to say during my Inaugural Speech on May
29, 1999, “Corruption, the greatest single bane of our society will be tackled
head-on at all levels. Corruption is incipient in all human societies and in
most human activities. But it must not be condoned… No society can achieve
anything near its full potential if it allows corruption to become the full
blown cancer it has become in Nigeria… There will be no sacred cows. Nobody, no
matter who and where, will be allowed to get away with the breach of the law or
the perpetration of corruption and evil”.
The
fight against corruption was made a top priority by my administration. Laws
were enacted while the appropriate institutions, the ICPC and EFCC, were
created. We never lacked the political will in supporting these institutions in
the struggle and fight against corruption.
Despite
all these efforts, corruption is still thriving in our country. In fact, from
the revelations we are hearing, it seems the situation is worse than what I met
on ground in 1999. The inference is that fighting corruption is not a one-off
or one regime affair; it is an all-time and all-regime affair. If we relent, it
bounces back with vengeance.
There
is no doubt that all our institutions have been tarnished by the brush of
corruption. If the Church, as an institution, does not take bribe or get
involved in other corrupt practice, 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 (offering) from just
anybody without asking questions. This gives the impression that anything is
acceptable in the house God. But if Jesus can chase out those buying and
selling from the temple with the declaration that, “My house shall be called
the house of prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Mat. 21: 12-13),
then it is time to stand up against corruption.
The
Church needs to clear its Aegean 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 and put to shame in the larger
society.
The
Church must embrace a more inclusive definition of evangelism. Evangelism must
not only be limited to winning souls to increase the crowd in the Church but it
must also embrace discipleship, which is the cleansing of the soul and heart
towards righteous living. The Bible tells us, “Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin is a reproach to any people” (Pro. 14: 34).
The
pulpit must be used to teach and preach righteous and honest living. While
nobody wants the Church to preach poverty, the message of prosperity must be preached
with caution and moderation bearing in mind the mission of Christ, “The Spirit
of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the
poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of
sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the
Lord’s favour.” (Luk. 4: 18-19). While miracles, signs and wonders are the
expectations of true believers, such must be based on righteousness. To preach
that one can acquire wealth without labour is not only deceitful; it is a call
to corruption. It is false preaching and it is sinful. We must be careful in
believing and celebrating every testimony of miraculous blessing, hence we end
up being hoodwinked into celebrating corruption. The power of faith must be
developed as an instrument of social change.
The
Church must use its power to teach the right values. One of our major problems
is the breakdown of our values system. The Church, as an agent of
socialization, must be in the forefront of rebuilding our value system and
making the individual to imbibe these values and moral principles. As part of
its evangelical and spiritual mandate, the Church must boldly speak out against
corruption in our society. The Church must take to the high moral ground and
speak out against corrupt leadership and poor governance. The Church must
embark on moral re-armament for the Church and for the nation.
As
the saying goes, charity begins at home. The leaders in the Church must live by
example. It must be a case of ‘do as I do, not do as I say’. While we shun
questionable characters and offerings, the administration of the Church must be
open, and transparent. Accountability must be our watchword. The Church is not
of this world simply because it is expected to live by the highest standard as
prescribed in the word of God. The Church is the light of the world. In our
conduct behaviours, activities and programmes, we must let our light show forth
in its full brightness for all and sundry to see and emulate. In actions and
deeds, the Church must stand up against corruption.
The
Church played an important role in the development of this country. We are now
at another important historic juncture requiring the Church to play a leading
role. This is a period of moral and ethical rebirth. That role must be played
in praying, preaching and teaching. The Roman Catholic in Nigeria have produced
a prayer against bribery and corruption which is said by all members, thus:
“Father in Heaven, you always provide for all your creatures so that all may live as you have willed. You have blessed our country Nigeria with rich human and natural resources to be used to your honour and glory and for the well-being of every Nigeria. We are deeply sorry for the wrong use of these your gifts and blessing through act of injustice, bribery and corruption, as a result of which many of our people are hungry, sick ignorant and defenseless. Either, you alone can heal us and our nation of this sickness. We beg you, touch our lives and the lives of our leaders and people so that we may all realise the evil of bribery and corruption and work hard to eliminate it. Raise up for us God fearing people and leaders who care for us and who will lead us in the part of peace, prosperity and progress. We ask these through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
The Church has a very vital role to play in curbing corruption in our society. Morality must be preached at all times in all places and by all people.
“Father in Heaven, you always provide for all your creatures so that all may live as you have willed. You have blessed our country Nigeria with rich human and natural resources to be used to your honour and glory and for the well-being of every Nigeria. We are deeply sorry for the wrong use of these your gifts and blessing through act of injustice, bribery and corruption, as a result of which many of our people are hungry, sick ignorant and defenseless. Either, you alone can heal us and our nation of this sickness. We beg you, touch our lives and the lives of our leaders and people so that we may all realise the evil of bribery and corruption and work hard to eliminate it. Raise up for us God fearing people and leaders who care for us and who will lead us in the part of peace, prosperity and progress. We ask these through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
The Church has a very vital role to play in curbing corruption in our society. Morality must be preached at all times in all places and by all people.
Baptist
ethicist, Louise Kretzschmar of South Africa, addressed the question of
leadership in Church and corruption on July 10, 2014 in a Joint Session of the
Christian Ethics Commission and the Theological Education and Leadership
Commission of the Baptist World Alliance, meeting in Izmir, Turkey. In a paper
entitled, “Beyond Milk: The Moral Failure and Ongoing Formation of Lay
Christian Leaders in the Church and Society,” Kretzschmar noted that corruption
among people in power on many levels is rampant. This reflects a need for
greater moral formation in society, she said, and especially among leaders who
are Christians.
“Spiritual
formation is initiated by God’s grace,” Kretzschmar said. It “requires a human
response to the regular prompting of the Holy Spirit, and results in mature
persons and communities of faith. For Christian leaders, it forms the
foundation, motivation and principle means of moral formation, which is the
development of moral virtue, character, behaviour and lifestyle.”
How
is ethical character to be formed in leaders of business, education, politics,
and charitable organizations? Even those who are Christians, she said, may
belong to “churches where they receive very little in the way of discipleship,
support, intellectual input and spiritual formation. As a result, they may have
developed a ‘split’ spirituality that separates their faith from their
workplace activities.”
“Christian
leaders need to be rooted in the stability of a relationship with God and the
simplicity of a life that is straightforward and open,” Kretzschmar said. “This
rootedness in a God-centered life of righteousness can enable them to face the
confusion and conflicts that arise as a result of morally-wrong motives,
relationships and actions and to be peacemakers.”
The
presentation above shows that even in the Church, corruption is striving and
this makes it difficult for the Church to really play her all-important role of
modeling the country in a morally-evidenced manner.
The
Church can help on this level by raising people to mentor or coach business and
political leaders who are Christians and encourage them to continue to grow in
their faith and Christian maturity.
Christian
leaders working on the “macro” level should be aware of national and
international conflicts, the impact of industry on the environment, massive
economic disparities, and similar other socio-economic issues. Consequently, it
is very expedient for the Church and particularly the leaders, to speak truth
to rulers and politicians. Business values such as maximizing short-term
profits at the expense of workers or the environment and the society at large
are in conflict with a Christian norm of the stewardship of the earth and what
is good for society as a whole and the Church should say so stoutly.
Similarly,
the Church should long for children of God by saving Grace in political
leadership and those who are credible in the eyes of the broader electorate
because they work to improve the lives of citizens and neither hide their faith
nor use it to pander to the interests of particular groups in order to gain
votes. If politics is left for bad people, we will have bad politics and bad
government. The Church should preach and publicise against cheating the
marginalized and neglected, especially children and young people who are
vulnerable to violence and exploitation.
Lastly,
while we stress the role of the Church, it must be seen that this great very
important organisation is a microcosm of the entire society and hence there is
the need for the general cleansing of the society. What is equally important is
strengthening participatory democracy and transparency in government. This will
lead to stronger institutions, which are then better placed to respond to the
crisis of insurgencies. This is true for countries across Africa and in other
parts of the world. All sectors must be involved in the transformation: the
National Assembly, the Executive, the Judiciary, the Private Sector, the Civil
Society, Communities, all and sundry. The Church, and that includes the Mosque,
has a cardinal role to play.
If
appropriate steps and strategies are taken and leaders are transparent about
the corruption challenges that they face, the trust of the public in the
Nigerian government and security forces would be strengthened. These will help
their ability to address the very real challenges and risks the country faces.
In
conclusion, we have seen that corruption was brought to the world created by
God. Man alone, by himself, cannot get rid of corruption from the world, he now
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 continues
to do to the perfect work of God, the earth. There is no substitute for the
role of the Church in fighting corruption.
I
thank you for listening.
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