I do not recall any major religious upheaval in the largely Christian community that the old Cross River was.
In those days, there was the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (Olumba Olumba), the indigenous Qua Iboe church, the Presbyterian church, the Anglican Church, the African Church, the Apostolic Church, the Foursquare Church, the AME Zion and the Methodist. The Pentecostal Churches were beginning to spread and take root. On campus, there was the formidable, evangelical Scriptures Union.
So much has changed between then and now. The return to civilian rule has worsened the political exploitation of religion in Nigeria, and the old Cross River is not exempted. The politicians who took over from the soldiers after Nigeria’s second independence in 1999, have made it all the more tragic, as the lines between religion and politics have become blurred. No part of the country is exempted and many of our clerics are no better than government agents and spokespersons.
This is sad because Nigeria’s second independence was a long battle that was won with the support of the religious establishment. With the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, many clerics became pro-democracy activists. These clerics found the courage to turn the pulpit and the prayer ground into platforms for opposing military despotism. The Nigerian church became the church of the poor, defending the people against their tormentors. Many religious leaders saw the need to speak the truth to power and they did. But in the last 18 years, one of the most grievous outcomes of our democratic experience has been the manner in which religious platforms have become vehicles for opportunism, alimentary politics and sickening hypocrisy. The consequence could be as bizarre as the Boko Haram posing a threat to national sovereignty, and as treacherous as the clerics becoming government consultants and the churches no better than government parastatals.
I find the most pernicious devaluation of religion in this manner in the Old Cross River State, especially the part of it now known as Akwa Ibom State. Akwa Ibom is predominantly Christian and animist, with Christianity as the popularly advertised face of religion in the state. For some reason in that state, the churches and the state have closed ranks in the last 18 years to the clear disadvantage of the people. Churches in Akwa Ibom operate more like government parastatals. Our investigation reveals that the best title for anyone to bear in any government establishment in the state is Elder, or Apostle, or Evangelist, Supreme Leader, Pastor, Deacon…that is – it is increasingly the norm for government officials to identify with a particular church and to use their position to mobilize religious support for the government of the day. The state government also does not joke with the churches. It is a vicious and cynical mind-control game going on yonder. Akwa Ibom pastors and religious leaders have learnt to defer to the state government and they are well-patronized in return for their loyalty.
Our investigation, inspired by a recent scandalous incident, further shows that we are not generalizing when we say that in Akwa Ibom state, the biggest business is church business and sycophancy. The church in that state is distancing itself from the poor and lending itself to the state as an instrument. In some of the churches, sermons are delivered and dedicated specially to the state Governor. When pastors begin to behave like praise-singers, the Church would need to take a second look at its men. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) may soon find the need to intervene in Akwa Ibom state to remind the Pastors that their job is to provide leadership and succor for the people, and not to serve as an extension of the state government secretariat. In other states where the clerics have become partisan politicians, and I am sure if the Christian body looks closely enough, it will find other examples, there should be an internal crusade to rescue the Church and sanction erring pastors.
I am using Akwa Ibom as an example because of the aforementioned recent incident: In August, Inibehe Effiong was suspended from the African Church, St. Paul’s Parish, Uyo Central Diocese, Eket, along with other members of the church who participated in a protest in Uyo against the plan by the state Governor to build a second Governor’s lodge in Lagos. In a letter titled “Suspension of Bar. Inibehe Effiong and other protesters of government policies” signed and dated 16th August 2017, one Rev. Richard Peter, “Chairman in Council,” as he describes himself, ex-communicated Inibehe Effiong and other Christians from the African Church.
He says: “We write with total dissatisfaction over the ugly incident of protest carried out by Barr. Inibehe Effiong and other indigenes of Akwa Ibom State of which majority are Christians.” Richard Peter may not be a lawyer, and he doesn’t have to be one, he only needs to be intelligent enough to know that the right to protest, differ, associate or express one’s opinions, is a constitutional right, and that there is nothing dis-satisfactory in a group of citizens whatever be their religious affiliation, expressing an opinion about government.
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