Of Southeast prelates, politicians and ecclesiastical red lines

Of recent, unwholesome exchanges between clerics and politicians are becoming the norm in the Southeastern part of the country. The development becomes so worrisome when viewed against the background that instead of junior or younger priests engaging in these unbecoming practices, it is the elderly and leading members of the clergy that descend to the arena of partisan rabble rousing.

Not long ago, Nigerians were stunned by reports of ugly encounter between some supporters of a political party and a cleric in Imo State, during a burial ceremony. Although accounts from that Owerri episode were conflicting, a similar occurrence in Ebonyi State left the people wondering what must have inspired an Archbishop to delve into partisan campaign at a burial ceremony.

Another very inauspicious time Archbishop Emmanuel Olisaeloka Chukwuma went out of his way to take up politicians was during the burial of the late Second Republic Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme. To this day, many people who attended that burial ceremony in Anambra State, are still wondering what has changed in the Christendom.

The worrisome aspect of Archbishop Chukwuma’s vituperations in Ebonyi is that as a teacher, who obtained, the Teachers’ Grade II Certificate and a Master’s degree in Education Psychology, he should be exemplary in conduct, character and candour.

All over the world, the population of attendance to any Church or Cathedral superintended over by either a Bishop or an Archbishop is usually unprecedented.

That is not only to show the level of their influence, but also because the quality of the Bishops’ delivery and rendition of the gospel message is usually of high standard. The Bishop must have spent years for Ecclesiastical trainings added to years of practical experience.

But the conduct of Archbishop Chukwuma in Ebonyi State, about two weeks ago was to say the least, worrisome.  Most of the people that attended the burial ceremony in Ebonyi did not fail to recall how the same Chukwuma behaved when the Federal Government delegation, led by Alhaji Lai Muhammed, visited the Southeast zone on a Town-Hall meeting early last year.

The man of God descended on President Muhammadu Buhari with verbal attacks. Then, Buhari had serious health challenges and every well-meaning Nigerian prayed to the Almighty God for a healing miracle for the president.

Recalling this, some of us felt great repulsion on Friday, March 16, 2018 during a Church service preceding the burial of late Nneoma Blessing Mbam Nkwoagu at St. Phillip’s Anglican Church, Uwarem, Amachi in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, as the same man of God also abandoned spiritual or eschatological anecdotes that such sober situation called for, and gave greater focus to partisan politics. He delved into who should contest the governorship of the state or not.

For example, the Ebonyi State Governor,  Engr. David Umahi, had remarked at the event that he would not say much since his major political opponent was in the service, whereupon the Archbishop took over, asking that the said major political opponent to the governor should stand up. Convinced that he was the man being referred to, Sir Edward Nkwegu, who contested the 2015 governorship election, stood up.

To the surprise and chagrin of mourners, the ‘Archbishop’ then went ahead to proclaim that Sir Edward Nkwegu, the man believed to have actually won the 2015 governorship election in the state, should not dare to contest against the incumbent governor again in 2019.

It was said that the Archbishop was briefed how the said only opponent, Sir (Dr.) Edward Nkwegu, formerly of Labour Party, but now a frontline gubernatorial hopeful in APC, had successfully battled the incumbent in the 2015 governorship election in the state.

Whether Archbishop was brought to render the warning to Nkwegu not to recontest against the incumbent in 2019 is not the issue. In the eyes of parishioners and laymen, the cleric clearly exceeded his boundaries to issue such a political decree.

To worsen matters, no sooner had he spoken than some distraught youths, believed to be agents of the state government and members of the Protocol Unit, took some “messages” to the ‘Archbishop’ and other clerics, there and then. The whole episode was very disconcerting because it was a burial, which made people wonder whether the political sermons can be procured or programmed at burial ceremonies?

Of course this must have roused the people as they chorused a spontaneous murmur that gained crescendo in a booing rendition. The tremor of the murmur exacerbated at the point when the Archbishop warned Nkwegu not to contest against the incumbent.

The entire scenario left in the minds of the congregation fears that the ‘man of God’ may have been deliberately invited to speak at the burial to serve a cheap political purpose. How partisan can a prelate be? Has Nigeria come to the point that clerics cross time honoured ecclesiastical red lines of not mixing church and politics?

As it is today, if Archbishop Chukwuma should tomorrow be appointed into a campaign committee of a political party, it would not surprise those who witnessed the occasion that fateful Friday, March 16. A similar low was recorded by him again in Enugu when he openly declared support for Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and ‘endorsed’ him for a second term.

As in Ebonyi, that shortcoming attracted public disclaim and spontaneous outrage. It is so worrisome that a socio-cultural group called Oganiru Enugu wrote to condemn the open display of partisanship.

Why on earth should people who ordinarily should be reconciling man with God and their neighbours be the ones causing division and distrust through partisan political propaganda?  Say.”

– Ituma, a lawyer, wrote from Abakaliki

The post Of Southeast prelates, politicians and ecclesiastical red lines appeared first on The Nation Nigeria.