His Eminence, Cardinal John Onaiyekan has advised Nigerian youths to learn from older politicians ‘how not to lead a nation’.
The Archbishop Emeritus spoke at the 3-day theological formation for Catholic youths organized by Church Life Africa (CLA) Nigeria.
Onaiyekan while highlighting the current Pontiff’s stance of intergenerational dialogue and exchange between the older and younger generation, however, said the older politicians have nothing to offer Nigerian youths by way of leadership to fall back on.
Rather than relearning the tricks of the elderly politicians, he advised Nigerian youths to learn from them how not to lead a nation.
“Any politician who comes with a string of ‘ex-this’ ‘ex-that’ ‘former-this’ ‘former that’, we must interrogate them – ‘former what?’ what did you do during that period. When I hear politicians, especially that of the two big parties say, “we have experience”, I ask “experience in what?” Your experience brought us where we are now. Is this the experience that the young people want? And I am very worried when I see the youth wing of the old parties just learning the tricks of the old people. But the tricks of the old people have not taken us far.”
To bring about a new era of politics, Nigerian youths, he said should question the value and impact of ‘experiences’ elder politicians are bringing to the table, and look towards the scriptures and the Catholic social doctrines for true leadership qualities.
CLA’s Lay Theological Engagement and The Future of Church Life in Africa conference, he said instructs young people on principles, in particular, Christian principles to live by.
“So, in answering the question of how to manage the days ahead, the youths don’t have to fall back on how did Obasanjo rule? Or how did Abacha or Babangida rule? No. They have brought us to where we are now. They will have to go back to the scriptures; what the scripture says about leadership.”
He continued, “Getting young people to understand the meaning of Christian doctrines is not a matter of doctrine alone, it also includes moral behaviour – which is on two levels: private morality, and the social doctrines of the church. Our (Nigerian) politics up till now has not been run according to Catholic Social doctrines, not even by Catholics who are in politics. We have to start from the scratch.”
On the issue of APC co-opting Catholic Governor, Simon Lalong, as its campaign media manager, Onaiyekan said: “What is written is written. It is up to Governor Lalong to decide for himself, if he is okay with that. He has taken that decision despite knowing the decision
“He has taken that decision despite knowing the position of the Church.”
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