By Phil Okose Onitsha
Church of Nigeria ,Diocese on the Niger,(Anglican Communion) has publicly joined several groups and individuals in the country to call for the implementation of the report of the 2014 National Conference.
The church also condemned, in its entirety, the proposed withdrawal of subsidy on petroleum products by the Federal Government.
According to the church, the immediate implementation of the said report of the 2014 National Conference is one major way to douse the
apparently intractable agitations and killings sweeping across the country.
The Bishop on the Niger, the Rt Rev Dr Owen Nwokolo, in a Presidential Address he delivered at the on-going 2021 Synod of the diocese held at
St John’s Anglican Church, Eziowelle, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, made the demand.
The church had in the 112-page address expressed dissatisfaction over what she described as the long chain of insecurity threats rocking the country since the past few years.
Frowning at the present state of the nation, the Synod explained that the consequent agitations in the country in recent years are occasioned by alleged political and economic marginalisation and
threats of religious and ethnic dominations by some sections of the country.
In order to bring to an end the said agitations and the escalating hostilities ravaging the nation, the Anglican Church appealed to President Buhari administration to consider it a mark of wisdom to
review the report of the 2014 National Conference with the purpose of implementing its relevant proposals.
On the alternative, the church suggested that if there is any reason the 2014 conference report could not be implemented, a fresh one could
instead be convoked. While going through the memory lane, the church recalled, “Over the
decades, shrill voices across the length and breadth of the country have agitated various injustices they claimed to have experienced in the country. While some ethnic groups, for instance, claimed either economic marginalisation, others protested political or infrastructural marginalisation all of which invariably necessitated the 2014 National Conference. “Unfortunately the conference which report specifically emphasized restructure, resource control and infrastructure is torgged away in the government cupboard. Today, less than seven years after the conference the nation is in abysmal chaotic state”.
“Insecurity occasioned by various causes now rock the very foundation of this our dear nation. As there is confusion now in the North, so there are in both the West and the East. Regrettably each area of
trouble seems to be representing a particular cause of agitation. The North, through the Boko Haran sect, the Fulani herdsmen and the Jihadists seem to have a common cause as the West and the East through their individual ethnic militia seem to be pursuing their own separate causes.”
“We have carried these various concealed individual agenda for too long, and, worrisomely in the secret pursuit of each cause, thousands of Nigerians have died.
“This Synod unequivocally is therefore calling on the Federal Government to save the country from further loss of lives and property by either reviewing and implementing the 2014 National Conference or
alternatively convoking a fresh one. The gathering will offer all agitating entities free grounds to voice their grievances. We believe, by the Grace of God, if legitimate agitations are addressed these blood letting sprees will end.”
The church also condemned in a very strong term what she described as “senseless, unwarranted and
provocative attacks on police and security installations” in various parts of the country by unknown hoodlums”.
“The now rising ugly phenomenon”, which she said, “is not only criminal but also anachronistic, has since its wake a few months ago regrettably claimed the lives of many policemen and government property worth millions of Naira. This act of madness should stop. This Synod condemns it.”
The Synod lauded what it called the good work of the police and other security agencies in the country but, regretted some untoward aspects of the outfit from which it said
