Corruption is unrighteousness, a reproach to national progress – The Rt. Rev. Timothy Yahaya

-Calls for a return to God and righteousness
- Asks Christians to preach the Gospel to the lost

 
By 

Gabriel Gambo Nmadu 

The Rt. Rev. Timothy Yahaya, Bishop of Diocese of Kaduna, condemned corruption in every facet of the Nigerian society on Friday when giving his Bishop’s Charge (Presidential Address) during the opening ceremony of the second session of the twentieth synod of the Diocese of Kaduna holding at St. Christopher’s Church, Kaduna. The Synod is the Bishop’s first since resuming as Bishop of the Diocese.

The Bishop declared that corruption in any form and shade is an act of unrighteousness when expounding on the theme of the Synod “Righteousness Exalts a Nation”. He stressed that corruption is a sin and sin is a reproach to the development of Nigeria. Speaking on the aptness of the theme he said, “In times like this, when spiritual and moral structures are disintegrating, when pervasive skeptism and mistrust are eroding human relationships, no word of truth deserves our attention more than this”.

He traced the history of Nigeria to the days when citizens were godly people and lived in righteousness with right values. He reminisces the times when Nigeria was a well-respected nation in the world and the citizens are trusted, when Nigeria used to rank high on Transparency International list and Nigeria had very high Confidence Intervals, when doctors, nurses, teachers, workers, police and pastors were godly people, when the economy was strong and our currency of high value, when public infrastructures and institutions were working properly, when elections were credible, free and fair without rancor r bitterness, when righteousness was the order of the day and Nigeria was enjoying the prosperity of God.

He lamented the level of deterioration that had occurred and how the Nigerian Green Passport has become a license to be embarrassed in other nations; how the identity of a Nigerian is synonymous to fraudster; the loss of value and relegation of righteousness to the background; the erosion of our respect in the comity of nations; the criminality of our leaders and corruption in high places; the misuse of the Holy Books to cover criminality; the proliferations of different crimes and vices such as Boko Haram proclivities, vandalism, kidnapping, embezzlement, bribery; and the level of mess that Nigeria has found herself.
Bishop Yahaya x-rayed the different faces corruption in all sectors in Nigeria ranging from politics, universities and colleges, the Police Force, football, churches, internet, Customs Service, health services, legal systems and the market system. He identified the causes of corruption and elucidated the effects of corruption on Nigeria and Nigerians as well as looked at the activities and limitations of the anti-graft and anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria.

He called on citizens to return to God and live in righteousness. He said “In order to for a nation to be great, its leaders and people must have upright, moral characters known for their righteousness”. He said that a nation which conducts itself in righteousness ‘exalts’ itself stressing that righteousness is not accidental and that “when the majority of people in a nation purpose in their hearts to know God and walk in His will, then that nation will reflect righteousness and be morally strong”.


He emphasized that in Nigeria today there is a need for some John the Baptist to wake up Nigerian Christians. He called on Christians to live by godly principles and be examples to others stressing that they are chosen by God to be light in a dark world. He added that Christians should preach the Gospel to the lost “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from dominion of Satan to God” making reference to Acts 26:18. In his charge, he referenced several passages from the Holy Bible to support the points he made and give authority to the words he spoke. Finally, he called on Christians to be law-abiding, be of positive influence, obey our leaders and pray for them, be charitable to the needy, carry out our civic responsibilities, and be subject to the government in line with Bible principles. He prayed for Nigeria and her citizen for the establishment of righteousness in Nigeria so that the nation can be exalted.

The Bishop’s address was followed by the review of the charge by the Registrar of the Diocese after which the event continued with the launching of the charge by the churches in the Diocese and delegates to the Synod.