Peter Obi | File Image
By Valentine Amanze
The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has called on the Church to take a more practical and people-centred role in youth empowerment and community development.
Obi also reminded the church that Nigeria’s regeneration depended on the values religious institutions instil in the society.
He gave the advice at the Fourth Enugu Diocesan Synod, where he spoke on the theme, “The Role of the Church in Youth Empowerment and Community Development.” on Tuesday.
Obi advised religious institutions to “move from pulpit to people,” insisting that preaching alone is no longer enough in a society weighed down by moral decay, unemployment, and a growing number of unskilled youths.
He lamented the decline in personal discipline and civic responsibility, recalling a visit to a burnt school that left pupils studying under harsh condition, describing it as a symbol of society’s failing values.
He also urged the Church and other serious religious groups to lead in building character, which he described as the foundation of any meaningful development.
Also read:What Obi told Soludo after insult
Commending the Enugu Catholic Diocese for its practical investments in agriculture, Obi highlighted his recent visit to the diocesan farm with the Auxiliary Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Ernest Obodo.
He said such initiatives provide young people with skills, employment, and a pathway to sustainable community development.
Drawing global parallels, Obi noted how countries with limited natural resources achieved food security through disciplined productivity – contrasting it with Nigeria, where its vast arable lands remain underutilised.
Obi maintained that religious institutions, while not interfering with governance, must help redirect the nation toward a culture of hard work, responsibility, and productivity.
Citing his conversation with Professor James Robinson, co-author of “Why Nations Fail”, Obi explained that nations stagnate not because they lack knowledge, but because they fail to implement what is necessary for progress.
He said Nigeria reflects this reality and needs institutions, including religious organisations to positively drive behavioural and value change among the youth.
He also referenced the positive impact of strengthening Church–State collaboration in sectors such as healthcare, noting that hospitals like Iyienu and Borromeo achieved higher standards and became teaching hospitals because they were properly supported.
He also sited the improvement in education consequent upon the involvement of religious institutions.
……..
For more interesting stories, click: nigerianewsflight.com.ng
valoa2000@yahoo.com
