By Usman Shuaibu
The Management of the National Missionary Seminary of St. Paul Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has conferred merit awards on the Former Governor of Imo State, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as well as he Archbishop emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan and two others.
Former governor, Onaiyekan and two others were honoured at the 2022 annual St. Paul Lecture/St. Paul merit awards organized by the Seminary on Saturday in Gwagwalada.
In an interview with newsmen at the occasion, the Registrar/Academic Dean of the Seminary, Rev Fr Dr Daniel Ihunnia, said the awards were bestowed on the four personalities based on their contributions towards the work of God.
Ihunnia said the seminary would continue to play its prophetic role by praying for our dear country.
In their separate responses, the awardees of the day thanked the authorities of the seminary for the honour done to them.
In his keynote speech at the occasion, the former Governor of Imo State, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha who was the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, charged the church members to run for elective positions, as he quoted the Bible that “when good and God-fearing kings are on the throne, the people rejoice”.
While speaking on the Christian faith and Nigeria politics, the ex-Governor noted that Christian faith had not effectively reflected on the political structures of the country, adding that churches as faith based institutions, agents of socialization and custodians of moral theology had not been able to rise to the occasion by mobilizing their members to participate fully in the electoral process in order to ensure the recruitment of God-fearing candidates into political leadership positions.
Presenting this year’s seminary lecture with the theme “Constructing Redemptive Narratives of Hopes” the Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, urged Nigeria leaders to provide purposeful leadership capable of satisfying the aspirations of the masses at all times.
Onaiyekan, therefore, advised the religious leaders to continue to preach the gospel of peace and oneness and urged them to always speak the truth.
