Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, is not happy with Christians who distance themselves from politics and governance but enjoy criticizing government officials for poor performance in office. The governor made his view known recently while delivering a lecture at The Transforming Church (TTC) in Abuja.
In his lecture, which centered on the role Christians should play in politics and governance, Governor Otti condemned the attitude of Christians who leave everything about politics to politicians, who end up making policies that are binding on everyone, including Christians — whether those policies are good or bad.
Governor Otti began by painting the picture of Nigeria’s current sordid social, economic and political situation, which has given rise to trust deficit in government, stressing the need for urgent moral and ethical transformation. He maintains that the underlying challenge is the issue of “crisis of value and leadership culture” and then posed the question: who will save the situation?
“I believe strongly that the church has a crucial role to play in answering this question, because a journey through history has shown the resilience of the church in societal transformation,” he noted. Going down church history, he highlighted the interventions of the church in leading transformation in different parts of the world at various times.
“In its earliest form, the church was not just a religious gathering; it was a transformational community. From its beginning, the church combined both proclamation with tangible transformation. Jesus started His ministry by proclaiming the Kingdom of God as good news to the poor, challenged religious and political elites and reversed social hierarchies and inequalities as He unequivocally declared, “the first shall be the last, the meek shall inherit the earth, blessed are the poor in spirit.”
For Governor Otti, “The early church practised welfarism and redistribution of wealth. They sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to as many as had need.” According to him, these teachings and practices of the early church were aimed at correcting the social order of the day, which was promoted by the Roman Empire and Jewish nation, which thrived on hierarchy and social class. This, he said, “made the Church an alternative social order, thereby quietly but powerfully redefining relations and values.”
He continued, “The Scripture reminds us that, ‘You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill that cannot be hid’ (Matthew 5:14). Light does not exist for itself; light exists to illuminate.”
Time For Impact
He urged the Church in Nigeria to move from theory to impact. “The Church must adopt a multidimensional strategy, which includes economic empowerment. One of the most urgent economic challenges in Nigeria today is economic vulnerability. The Church must transition from charity-driven relief market to a productive hub that guarantees self-reliance. The Church can accomplish this by establishing cooperative societies and micro-finance systems intentionally supporting medium and small-scale enterprises and promoting vocational and digital skills training.
“The truth remains that the several millions of naira that the church spends yearly as empowerment handouts to their members can be collectively channeled to set up well managed enterprises that can employ thousands of those members who would work hard to earn descent living and add to the GDP of our nation, thereby reducing unemployment in our larger societies.”
According to him, when the churches establish such facilities, the man hours spent by members praying for breakthroughs can be productively channeled to other spiritually fulfilling activities in the churches. “This way, meaningful collaboration between the church and the government becomes more fulfilling and productive,” he explained, adding that it is more sensible for citizens to be empowered to create value rather than receive handouts.
He also called for the rejuvenation of mission schools, explaining that churches are better placed to promote values-based education and leadership. Governor Otti added that health care delivery and outreaches in rural communities also constitute areas that faith-based organizations can help to improve lives.
“Perhaps, the most critical areas of engagement for the church are in the areas of governance, justice and ethical leadership. The Church must promote integrity and accountability; encourage responsible political participation and advocate for justice and fairness irrespective of class, tribe or religious belief,” he said.
Christians, Play Your Role
He then threw a challenge in the form of questions, “Why has Nigeria continued to be confronted with challenge of governance over 65 years after her independence? Is Nigeria’s underdevelopment linked to the fact that Christians in Nigeria have not risen up to play their God-given roles in serving as agents of change and transformation by internalising the principles of Christ? That’s the question. In other words, what role have Christians played in both the political and economic development of Nigeria? What is the way out as we approach the next election year in 2027? How can Christians in Nigeria make a world of difference leveraging Kingdom principles, superior character and mindset in the transformation of Nigeria?”
Governor Otti was hopeful that things could change in Nigeria, “where leaders serve with integrity, institutions function effectively, citizens participate responsibly and justice and fairness prevail.” For this to happen, he stressed that there must be collective effort from government, civil society and faith-based institutions.
“It is time for Christians to be genuinely interested in shaping the course of this nation. Christians should be encouraged to belong to political parties and associations, and to take part in the political process. Politics is dirty when the wrong set of people are allowed to hijack it and use the principles of the powers of darkness to take over the reins of government.”
While admitting that not only Christians can lead Nigeria, Governor Otti urged followers of Christ to function as leaders as part of the job of salvation and liberty that they profess, and also influence whoever emerges as the leader of the country at any time. Prayer alone, he said, would not solve the problem of leadership failure in the country but also active participation of Christians in the selection process.
The lecture, which was hosted by Rev. Sam Oye, was attended by a large number of participants, including Rev. David Abioye of the Living Word Conquerors Global Assembly, as well as Apostle Joshus Selman of the Abuja-based Koinonia ministry.