Anglican Bishop Seeks FG’s Partnership  to Promote Peace

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Bishop of the South-west Lagos Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Venerable Ebenezer Adewole, has suggested government’s engagement with religious leaders including church-based organisations at all levels as part strategies to promote unity, peace, inclusivity and development in the country.

The bishop said that such engagement can help build more confidence and trust of the people so that they can embrace government’s economic and socio political programmes.

Bishop Adewole who spoke to THISDAY in an interview shortly after his consecration by the Primate of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Gwarinpa, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja said the mission of the Church is to propagate the gospel of Christ, through rigorous evangelism.

He also said that the Church is desirous of growing and empowering different segments of the society including; children, youths, men and women so that they discover their potentials and gifts.

On the issue of fostering unity and development, Bishop Adewole said: “Engagement with the government at all levels in other to ensure that social political programme that government has is meant to benefit of our people in all the communities within our Diocese.” 

Quoting a verse from the Holy Bible (Ezra 1:1-3, Luke 2:1-2), Bishop Adewole said that all policies and programmes of government should be  for the benefit of the people.

Adewole further spoke on his vision as a priest, saying he intended to embark on rigorous evangelism and church planting as a means of proclaiming the gospel of Christ.

When asked to explain his mission and vision as an ordained bishop of the Anglican Church, the clergy man said: “I intend to proclaim the gospel of Christ, through rigorous evangelism and church planting.  

“Undertake aggressive discipleship through structured bible study, scriptural education and fervent prayer. 

“Growing and empowering of different sub-groups in the church, e.g, Children, Youth, Men, Women, Elderly Professionals etc, in order to discover their potential and gifts, with a view to maximising and using them to benefit others at home, at work and in the world at large. 

Bishop Adewole said the essence of the gospel is to ensure that every person lives to fulfill destiny in time here on earth and that every person is prepared to live in eternity with God. 

That’s what the service is meant for. So I’m happy to be part of what God is doing in his church. In his church, Isaiah 43 verse 19, God says, I will do a new thing. So it’s great to be part of what God is doing in his church.

Earlier while consecrating the new bishops, Primate of the Anglican Church in Nigeria, Most Rev’d Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba, prayed God that the Sacraments will guide and direct the bishops in presiding over the worship of His people and, “give them humility that they may use their authority to heal and not to hurt, to build up and not to destroy, but defend them from all evil.”