Churches must question source of money presented by politicians — Osinbajo
By Jeffrey Agbo
Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called on the clergy in Nigeria to question the source of money brought before them by politicians.
Osinbajo said on Saturday at the Inaugural Daniel Taiwo Odukoya Lecture held in Lagos that Nigerian clerics should preach more against bribery, corruption, stealing and others.
Late Taiwo Odukoya was the co-founder and senior pastor of The Fountain of Life Church, Ilupeju, Lagos. He died on August 7, 2023, in the United States.
The lecture was titled, ‘Strengthening the Christian Voice in Government and Public Office.’
Osinbajo in his keynote address emphasised that the gospel of Jesus was the most transformative force.
He said, “We have a substantial number of Christians in government, yet we have not seen the transformative change expected from those in government.”
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He added that the lives of Christians in government should be enough to bring transformative change to the country, saying that there could be transformative change in nations if the Christian voice was strengthened.
“The Bible says that righteousness exalts a nation. How often do we hear pulpits condemning bribery, corruption, and the stealing of public resources? How often do those who receive money from politicians and other sources question the source of the money?” Osinbajo asked.
“So, the question is not how many Christians are in government, business, or professions. The question is, what are they equipped with?
“What are the relevant principles of the gospel that they know and apply in their daily, professional, or public lives? What standards has the church set for them? Does the church question the officeholder’s giving of tithes and offerings that only the wealthiest businesspersons can afford? “Does the church embrace unexplained affluence? So, the real issue in strengthening the Christian voice in government is how we ensure that the lives of Christians in government reflect the principles of the gospel.
“Those principles have made other nations great, as the destiny of nations depends on how the church behaves. What the church teaches or accepts is what our nation will become. I pray that the memories and legacies of Pastor Taiwo will last forever.”
