ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has expressed worry over the inability of most churches and their leaders to speak truth to power in the face of increasing corruption and immorality in society.
Ewhrudjakpo voiced this concern at the weekend while addressing participants of the 145th National Executive Council meeting of Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria at St Mathias Parish, Amarata in Yenagoa.
The Deputy Governor opined that the silence of the present day church was contributing to the rise in crime rates, leadership failure, erosion of ethical and moral values as well as underdevelopment in the country.
He said to address the rising level of moral decadence and poor performance in both public and corporate governance, the church must live up to societal expectation of speaking and upholding the truth at all times.
To this end, the Deputy Governor charged the clergy not to be swayed by material gains to the detriment of society by turning deaf ears and blind eyes to poor leadership, crime and criminality in the country.
He also challenged clerics to be courageous enough to hold those in authority to account like Prophets Nathan, Isaiah and Jeremiah did in biblical times to address the societal ills of their generations.
Speaking further, Ewhrudjakpo stressed the need for churches to show more interest in building the future of the young ones by inculcating sound moral and spiritual values that will guide them through life.