Aladekugbe to Clerics: Preach Messages to Keep Hope, Faith Alive

The Archbishop of Ibadan Province, Dr Williams Aladekugbe has said clergy and ministers of God have more to do at a time like this to save people from depression, loss of hope and probably suicide.

He said lectures, sermons and teachings should be intensified to keep the faith of the Christains alive so that they can triumph over the current economic hardship which he said would be for a short period.

He gave the charge while delivering the 1st Distinguished Alumni Lecture of the Department of Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan, Ibadan over the weekend.

The lecture entitled “The faith once delivered to the saints in the context of contemporary socio-economic challenges”, held at the Otunba Subomi Balogun Conference centre, UI.

Aladekugbe who is also the Bishop of Ibadan North (Anglican) Diocese on the topic: faith and political challenges in the lecture lamented that the current debate in Nigeria society is the issue of the economic situation and how it may affect the people’s response to future elections and political matters because people have been disappointed by the political class many times.

He said “It has been observed that the present situation has become unbearable for the citizen of Nigeria. People in different locations of the country are lamenting and discussing the future of Nigeria political structure as a result of present economic woes on social media, in the streets, in club houses voices are being heard that the faith of a common man has been affected. Some people are saying “God, where are you?”.

“The clergy and the ministers of God have more to do at a time like this to save people from depression, loss of hope and probably from suicide. Lectures, sermons and teachings should be intensified to keep the faith of the Christians alive so that they can triumph over this period which is believed would be for a short period.”

He explained that people exhibit various forms of fear based on the current situation but warned that faith should be cultivated as a step to attracting God divine intervention.

“In the Nigeria society of today, the people religious lives are characterised with fear of the enemies, fear of tomorrow, fear of the unknown, fear of poverty and fear of what has not happened but been imagined, all these seem unsolvable to the people because of the absence of faith.

“Lookibg at the myriad of problems confronting Christains today, these problems cannot be solved through fear.

“In response to the fear in the society, we lay emphasis on faith as a major solution to human problems. God should remain a reference point to everyone who desires a practical solution to the problems of life”, the cleric added.

The Nation reports that the Distinguished Alumni was first Diploma student in the department between 1985 and 1987 and later a Matsers student between 19995 and 1997.

While thinking the department for the privilege and the guests for honouring the event, said the significance of the topic lies in the fact that it provides an avenue for the Church to bring to the public her response to the encounter of the faith once delivered to the Saints in the context of contemporary socio-economic challenges being experienced in the nation.