THE AFRICAN CHURCH

In a ‘rich nation' like Nigeria mired in such overwhelming socio-political and economic malaise such as ours, yet ‘blessed' or so it seems, with a multitude (thousands) of churches of differing persuasions or denominations i.e. Orthodox , Pentecostal, Traditional etc one begins to wonder and ponder about the Church and its relevance in these present times.

In years gone by, preceding the colonial period, Missionaries of the orthodox persuasion such as the Anglicans, Catholics, Methodists and Baptists from Western Europe made incursions into Africa bringing in their wake Christianity, Schools, Hospitals...in a nutshell, Civilization.

These were courageous European men and women whom with nothing but conviction and naked desire tied to their belts, braved so many social, medical and economic odds to bring to Africans ‘the way, the truth, and the light'.

Political historians are quick to remind us that these Missionaries came with the singular economic purpose of opening up Africa to enable the British Empire and other Industrializing European nations of the time, access a veritable source of cheap raw materials with which to feed their new and growing Industries in the motherland.

No doubt this might have been a motive, yet they still saw the need to give back ‘something' in return for the raw materials they had so cheaply acquired.

This presupposes that they came to give as well as to receive; they could on the other hand, have chosen not to give back. What they however gave has been responsible for the enlightenment, education and emancipation of the African continent.

The subject matter now begs for attention.

Most African nations acquired Independence from the late 1950's to 1960's, having been trained and bequeathed robust administrative and technocratic machineries, were soon enough left to their own devices. African nationalists, driven by the propulsion of newly acquired ideological blueprints, appeared on the scene with a plethora of idealistic dreams to move their respective nations forward. Forward they seemed to have been moving when military incursions took over the African landscape like a forest fire.

Today, having gone full circle, almost all the nations of Africa have only too recently re-traced their steps from the wasted era of military adventurism, which at the time of departure left many national economies prostrate.

Currently, a new political era of democratic ideals has been hoisted on the flagpole of a hopeful Africa. Yet the pillage and plunder of both the past military juntas and the recent nouvae political class is inflicting excruciating socio-economic pains on the people and nations of Africa.

The damage is so gross (From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it;) that fixing it has so far proven to be extremely daunting and overwhelming (they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment).

Isaiah ch1.vs6-7

‘From the sole of the foot

even unto the head there is no

soundness in it; but wounds,

and bruises and putrefying

sores: they have not been

closed, neither bound up, nei-

ther mollified with ointment.

Your country is desolate,

your cities are burned with fire:

your land strangers devour it

in your presence, and it is deso-

late, as overthrown by strangers'.

Governments in Africa obviously seem to lack the capacity to frontally tackle these issues, and as it appears, cannot go it alone. This invariably leaves a gaping void that calls on the church to fill.

Sadly, the churches in Africa cannot replicate the deeds of the erstwhile missionaries because they, like the governments of Africa, simply lack the capacity to do so.

The clergy as well as the laity, the government as well as the governed, all live and utilize the same infrastructures that lie within the portals of the corrupt and inept malaise that enshrouds the African geographical entity and polity.

Primarily, in the years gone past, there were social infrastructures that the church was hitherto known to provide the people in whatever location they were situate; such as schools, hospitals, residences etc.

The church is a reflection of the larger society therefore the African church is as nonplussed as the government. The church leadership in Africa is not exempt from the rot that has afflicted the political class. They are more concerned and pre-occupied with amassing wealth and living in grandiose opulence and it is therefore no different from the political class they delight in ‘attacking' from their pulpits.

This appalling situation invariably leaves the hapless people worse off for it.

In Africa, there are too many government activities with little results as there are far too many churches with very little effect.

The African people are pitiably and pathetically caught in-between a corrupt government they pay taxes to and a corrupted church they pay tithes to.

Sam Oyelude