Baba Aladura Bob-Manuel, Adeleke urge church to lead in govt reforms

By Oluwapelumi Oluwayemi

The Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim (ESOCS) has called on the Church to actively shape good governance in Nigeria during the 7th St. Moses Orimolade Tunolase Memorial Lecture.

The lecture was held at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island on Saturday, themed “The Church as a Catalyst for Good Governance in Nigeria.”

The Prelate of the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim (Worldwide), His Most Eminence Baba Aladura Elder Dr. David D.L. Bob-Manuel, noted in his opening remarks that the Church’s role in shaping governance, quoting Proverbs 29:2, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people mourn.”

He expressed disappointment that despite having Christians in government, the Church’s influence on governance has been minimal due to compromise and corruption. He also urged Christians in leadership positions to adhere to biblical principles and challenge societal vices.

Baba Aladura said, “The Church and its people is supposed to be the salt of the earth. there are Christians in government, yet the impact of the Church in governance is not felt. There is corruption and all vices in governance antithetical to Christian virtues. It could be said that Christian’s have compromised themselves against the Christian ethics. The Christians in governance have allowed the world to influence them instead of the other way round.”

The keynote address was delivered by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop (Dr.) Daniel Okoh, represented by Very Rev. Dr. Evans Onyemara, Bishop-Elect on Special Duty of the Methodist Church Nigeria.

In his address, Rev. Onyemara decried the current state of leadership in Nigeria, where older generations continue to cling to power while the youth face increasing social challenges such as drug abuse, cultism, and idolatry.

“The Church must step up and engage the government as a catalyst for change,” he said, noting that young people are turning away from the Church and engaging in activities that threaten the moral fabric of society.

He criticized Church leaders for their reluctance to confront these issues, pointing out that the Church has become a “toothless bulldog” in the face of societal ills.

Calling for the need for a more prophetic voice, Rev. Onyemara urged Church leaders to return to their biblical roots and speak out against corruption, injustice, and bad governance, as Nathan did to King David in the Bible.

He stressed that the Church must provide moral guidance to the government and advocate for the welfare of the people, particularly in times of crisis, such as during the recent #EndSARS protests.

Onyemara said, “The church should step in her actions to genuinely engage the government as a catalyst for change and good governance.

“The present situation in Nigeria where old people refuse to retire and handover powers to the youth, where the youth have taken to drugs (mkpuru-miri) and cultism, a situation where the youth waste their lives in pool-betting in the name of crypto business by pressing numbers and figures on their phones without engaging in labourious tasks must be challenged”.

He said, “The church must rise to the challenge of impiety ravaging the land as our youths are streaming back to idolatry by rekindling idolatrous practices in all parts of the nation, A good number of young people are no longer in the church rather they troop out to join different terrorist organizations and antigovernmental groups”.

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, the special guest of honour, praised the legacy of the church’s founder, St. Moses Orimolade Tunolase, for using his evangelical missions to liberate Nigeria from spiritual darkness.

He noted that good governance cannot be achieved without spiritual enlightenment, stating,

“A leader guided by the Holy Spirit is the one who delivers seamless public services, ensures rule of law, and implements anti-poverty programs.”

Adeleke recounted how St. Moses Orimolade dismantled idol worship and freed communities from superstition across Nigeria, advocating that the Church should continue in this legacy to liberate the nation from spiritual and societal challenges.

He called on the Church to advocate against dictatorship, corruption, and autocracy, stressing that leaders must be morally upright to deliver the dividends of democracy.

Reverend Mother Esther Ajayi, Founder of Love of Christ Generation Church,  spoke on the importance of unity and humility. She said, “It is important for the body of Christ to stay united in order to make demands from government on behalf of the society”.

According to Baba Aladura, the lecture also served as a prelude to the centenary celebration of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, scheduled for September 2025, marking 100 years since its founding by St. Moses Orimolade Tunolase.