Insecurity: The Church must always speak out, holds govt accountable, says Primate Ndukubah.

From Daniel Dauda,Jos

The primate of the Anglican Church of Nigeria and Bishop of Abuja Diocese, Archbishop Henry Ndukubah stated that the Church as a body of Christ must continue speaking, engaging, and holding the Government accountable towards finding lasting solutions to age-long insecurity bedeviling Nigeria.

Primate Ndukubah hinted this on Tuesday when he was featured as a keynote speaker of the Alumni association of Theological College of Northern Nigeria (AATCNN), maiden reunion conference held between 10-13 October 2022, at TCNN BuKuru Jos South Local Government Area.

Perusing the theme:” Theology bin times of crisis; the Nigeria context”, said the response of the Churches and Christian organizations in Nigeria to the prevalent violence and insecurity in the country has been prayers.

“We need to do more as the situation demands more proactive steps. The political will of the Government needs to be clearly demonstrated.

“But following the consistent failure of the government to rise up to the responsibility of protecting the people and prosecuting the perpetrators of violence, resulting in persistence and intensification of the crisis and the general defenselessness of the people, self-defense and armed response to the violence are being articulated. Christians are urged to stand up in defence of their faith! The clergy mentioned.

Plateau State Governor who was represented by the deputy Prof. Sonni Tyoden while showering encomium to TCNN Alumni for making the conference a reality, acknowledged that the role of Alumni association in every mother institution is very key as it set a pace for developmental stride and lasting legacy for the upcoming Alumnus.

According to him, “the theme of the conference is apt and appropriate considering the numerous challenges Nigeria is going through. The crisis Nigerians are passing through is self-inflicted.

On current political happenings, as Nigeria approach the 2023 general elections, the Deputy Governor said it is high time Christians should strive and work the talk and stop lamentations as power is given to anybody free of charge, instead one must struggle for it. “If you are on a battlefield without a unity of purpose on a goal you intended to achieve the chances of your victory is very limited,” he stated.

Provost of Theological College of Northern Nigeria Prof. Samuel Peni Ango said it is his sincere prayer that the reunion conference will remove the stigma of incompletion from college premises by succeeding where we have failed in raising the necessary funding for the roof, plaster, do plumbing, put fittings and furnished the building to provide more adequate space for worship and conference, as well as offices and seminar rooms for the use of students and staff.

However, the interim president of the Alumni Association TCNN, prof Lazarus Baba Tekdek charge Alumni members to be the agent of transformation and solution providers to the upcoming students of the college and larger society at any given time.

He revealed that the association were been able to assist more than 600 pastors cutting across about 31 denominations right from its inception, and this time around they are to sponsor 124 students of the college, lamenting that Churches nowadays are finding it difficult in assisting or training their pastors.

He admonished Christians should be realistic and actively involved in the challenges of the time.

Former Governor of Plateau State senator Jonah Jang who is the Alumni member of the college and chairman of the maiden reunion alongside other dignitaries gave their goodwill messages.

The TCNN Alumni reunion conference 2022 was also heralded with confirmation of merit awards of excellence for the Provost, Governing Council chairmen, and principals who served the college right from 65 years of existence.