THE CHURCH AND NATIONAL STABILITY: THE ROLE OF NIGERIAN CLERGY

ELUSIYAN 'TOLULOPE FRANCIS
Since her independence in October 1, 1960, Nigeria has been wandering in the wilderness of corruption, ethnic and religious strife, poverty, insecurity, inequality and discrimination, illiteracy and religious superficiality. Every effort to direct her out of the desert and at achieving national stability has not yielded much fruits. Despair is hovering around the citizenry.
It is in the midst of this situation that the consoling and inspiring words the Council Fathers resound: “The joy and the hope, the grief and the anguish of men of our time, especially of those who are poor or afflicted in any way, are the joy and the hope, the grief and the anguish of the followers of Christ as well”
The above statement is the most incisive expression of the Church’s solidarity with the world. More importantly, the Church has and exercises her divine mandate and responsibility towards the establishment of a just and better world. The Church in Nigeria has made incredible efforts at bringing about that desired stability. But not much has been achieved. In the midst of this I would like to raise some rather provocative questions. Why has the Church’s effort not paid off since she can boast of having the largest Christian sect in the country? Is there a way its social doctrine can be fine-tuned? What is the best way of inculcating her faithful with the principles of her social doctrine in order to bring about national stability? And most importantly, what should be the role of the Nigeria Clergy in this regard?
Church’s Social Teachings and National Stability
National stability is multifaceted. It has several dimensions. It can be cultural, religious, economic, mental, political, physical and social. In the midst of this various components, politics has the ability and capacity to integrate and manage the others for the actualization of national stability. Politics is seen in this sense as involving the art or science of governing a political entity.
The Social Teachings of the Church are aimed at building a better society. The Church has released several documents aimed at beginning, nurturing and sustaining national growth and stability in its several dimensions. These documents border on Justice and Peace, Human Dignity and Right, Health, Education, Religious Tolerance, Moral Responsibility, Security and Economy. What is needed is the right messenger and proper delivering of the truths contained in these theoretical works. This is where the Nigeria clergy becomes of utmost relevance.
The role of the Nigeria Clergy
It is understandable that the Catholic clergy is not permitted to be involved in partisan politics. However, it has the ability to bring about national stability through “political Theology’. Political theology simply involves interpretation and transformation of society in the light of the gospel.  Pope Pius XII gives the best method of making the Church’s social doctrine effective. “I can write encyclicals, I can speak over the radio, I can write about social doctrine, but I cannot go into the factories…nor can the bishops do this, nor the priests…therefore the church needs thousands and thousands of lay militants who are representatives of the Church in their working environment.”
Against this backdrop, the formation of lay militants for effective social transformation is exactly what the clergy thus become an imperative. This formation can be in three stages.
In the first place, there is the urgent need for reorientation of the lay faithful about the relationship between the Church and Politics. They should be made to understand that the dictum, “The Church should not interfere in politics” is false and misleading. The Church involves in politics not politically but morally but the faithful are free to actively participate in political acts whose tenets are not contrary to the Christian beliefs. Also, the idea that politics is a dirty game should be refuted through proper explanation. This campaign should not be vigorously inculcated in the faithful.
Secondly, the faithful, well equipped with this mental attitude, should be challenged and encourage to venture into active politics. They need to go and effect the change and not leave politics for those who are ill equipped for it. When these faithful plunge themselves into it, the clergy must provide them with spiritual nourishment in the form of prayers, counselling, exhortations, encourage and guidance. This will boost their confidence in carrying out the necessary reforms for national stability. Emergency must be put in place in order to adequately contain the case of a straying Catholic politician.
Thirdly, the clergy must be witness to what it teach. It will be a serious setback and discouragement to the faithful if cases of discrimination, accountability and other political ideals being taught by the church is found wanting in the clergy. The world as a Pontiff once observed need more witnesses than teachers. So the clergy must be seen to do what it teaches.
Conclusion
The Church has continued to contribute to national stability. But for her efforts to be more efficient, productive and sustained, the clergy has to engage in political theology. This does not undermine their care for souls. It rather strengthens it though care should be taken to avoid extremes.