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NIGERIAN ARCHBISHOP AFFIRMS NORTH AMERICAN MISSION TO NIGERIANS
Primate tentatively holds hands with Anglican Church in North America
Ndukuba lays out ten demands on the government to improve the country.
By David W. Virtue, DD
www.virtueonline.org
August 14, 2023
The archbishop of Nigeria the Most Rev. Henry C. Ndukuba says the Church of Nigeria's North American Mission (CONNAM) will continue its work as "a rescue mission to provide a safe haven for Nigerian Anglicans leaving the Episcopal Church."
"The Church of Nigeria is not interested in an expansionist move in America," he said. "We only maintain a 'pedagogical presence in America.' We stand to encourage and enable all faithful Anglicans who share our convictions on the authority of the Scripture, faithfulness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and the Anglican heritage as we have received it."
The North American Mission has "engage[d] the leadership of ACNA on some of issues of interest," he said, but one church property in Irvington, New Jersey, remains the subject of a civil lawsuit.
"We can only pray that God will intervene in these issues and give us peace. We have suffered disturbing negative media assault on our person and the Church of Nigeria but we see as part of the cost we may have to pay for the Lord."
The archbishop made his comments to leaders of the Anglican province with an urgent demand that the government protect the security of Christians.
"The present state of insecurity and attacks on Christian churches, communities, and indeed the citizens of this country, is worrisome," said Ndukuba.
"The Church demands that [the] government put high priority on the security of lives and property of citizens by providing adequate security for all citizens," he said.
"Most Nigerians have developed much doubt, lost trust and pessimistic disposition on both our security infrastructures and judiciary, as Christian learned men we must be different-as salt and light, in order to redeem this tattered image."
The archbishop laid out 10 demands on the government including the education of children at all levels; improve health-care delivery systems, rising inflation, debt servicing and fuel subsidy and the fear for the future of Nigeria. "The Church frowns at the negligent attitude of the leaders and lack of Political will to enforce the Rule of Law. We therefore advise the Government to maintain the Rule of Law and uphold civil rights, justice and Equity. The Judiciary should be made to serve the citizens in matters of Justice and Equity. Decentralizing the Police Force and creation of State Police will help to improve on Security and maintenance of Law and Order."
"We are in search of Leadership that will respect the rights, welfare and equality of all Tribes and groups and build a united people and a thriving Nation where no person is oppressed," he said.
UPDATE ON PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS IN NIGERIA.
Twenty-one people were killed in two Christian villages in the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria, in the early hours of August 9. Large numbers of Fulani Islamist extremists attacked Batin village at around 1.30am, killing 17. The gunmen went on to murder another four people in nearby Rayogot community. Twelve of the dead were internally displaced people who had fled to the area to escape previous extremist violence. Local Christians say they had warned security services that the latest attacks were planned but claim the authorities failed to take action to halt the gunmen.
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