The Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins, has issued a call for Nigerian politicians to abandon excessive politicking and focus solely on delivering good governance that demonstrably improves citizens' lives.
Archbishop Martins made the appeal at the 2025 Catechist Day/Jubilee Year of Hope Celebration, held recently at the St. Dominic Catholic Church in Yaba, Lagos.
The event featured the commissioning of new Catechists into the Lagos Archdiocesan Guild of Catechists (LAGC).
The cleric expressed deep concern over the continuous preoccupation of many elected officials with aligning and realigning, decamping and recamping along party lines.
He argued that this endless political strategising is significantly detracting from the primary duty of governance, leaving the welfare of Nigerians in a precarious state.
“Politicians are aligning and realigning, decamping and recamping, and all of that. It's really putting governance in a bad state in the whole scheme of things,” the Archbishop lamented.
He reminded leaders that the ultimate mandate they received from the electorate was to ensure a better quality of life for the populace.
“Our appeal is that politicians should recognise that they were voted first of all to ensure that life is better for the people.
“You are voted to ensure that the economy and the social environment are good for the well-being of the people.”
Archbishop Martins stressed that while campaigning is a legitimate part of democracy, it must not eclipse the essential work of nation-building and service.
“Therefore, we should not tell them not to campaign, but let them at least ensure that they do their primary duty of creating an enabling environment for the welfare of Nigerians.”
Shifting his focus to the newly commissioned Catechists, the Archbishop delivered an admonition under the event's theme, ‘Do Not Lose Heart; Awakening Pilgrims of Hope.’
He charged the new members of the LAGC, many of whom have completed a rigorous formation process, to fully embrace their vital role as teachers of the faith.
“All of you, by the grace of God, have been called to lead other people, first of all, to knowledge of God, and to knowledge of the teachings of the church,” he said.
The Catechists' essential function, he explained, is to be partners with the divine.
“You are called to lead people to knowledge of God and the teachings of the church, so that people can, in turn, have faith in God and the teachings of the church.
“You, catechists, give them knowledge. The Holy Spirit now takes control and inspires faith in those who have been taught.”
Archbishop Martins also emphasised the importance of gratitude, urging the faithful to begin with thanksgiving for the opportunity to hear the Word of God and receive the Holy Eucharist.
He thanked God specifically for calling the Catechists to their noble vocation as teachers of the faith, especially as they step up during the Church's Jubilee Year of Hope.
#GoodGovernanceNow #NigerianPolitics #ArchbishopMartins #JubileeYearofHope
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