Confess your sins, apologize and return stolen loot – Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Rev Ignatius Kaigama, challenges Nigerian leaders
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, has urged Nigerian leaders to publicly confess their wrongdoings and return all assets obtained through corruption to improve Nigeria.
In his message delivered at St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Parish in Apo, Abuja, on Sunday, July 21, he referenced a recent video of a Kenyan official openly confessing, apologizing, and promising to return all properties and money acquired through corrupt practices.
He said the actions of the Kenyan official depicts what true God-fearing leaders whether political, traditional, or religious should do or be. He said such leaders are sensitive to the needs of people and not the people wallowing in poverty while the few rich swim in the ocean of luxury at the expense of the poor citizens.
During his sermon, the Archbishop stated,
“How I wish in Nigeria our present and past political leaders will willingly come forward with such courage to tell the truth, and like Zacchaeus to honestly confess their acts of injustice and corruption committed against the ordinary Nigerians citizens.
Just imagine the impact, if beginning from our Local Government Chairmen, State Assembly members, commissioners, governors, House of Representative members, Senators, Ministers, Presidents, leaders of various security arms, the Judiciary, etc past and present, they accept to make this type of open confession and express their willingness to return whatever they have taken obviously not as part of their legitimate earnings but corruptly stolen from the people they were/are elected or appointed to serve.
Should this be honestly and transparently done, we will never need to borrow billions of Dollars from anywhere; hunger and poverty as currently experienced will find Nigeria a hostile place to exist, and our social infrastructure and amenities will be competing with those in the so-called “first world.” Our embassies around the world, will be overcrowded as foreigners will be clamouring and competing for visas to come to Nigeria.
Our Governors and Ministers don’t need to gallivant abroad in the name of wooing investors. Nigerians will be proud and happy to walk anywhere in the world with their heads held very high.
May God give the political leaders in charge of our patrimony and indeed all Nigerians, whether high or low, the heart to always work for the common good.
Through the intercession of Our Mother Mary and St. Joseph her spouse, may our leaders imitate the servant-leadership of Christ and lead the people entrusted to their care in the way God wants.”
