Mike Odeh James
KADUNA
— Northern Nigeria’s Baptist community has sent ripples through both the political and spiritual corridors of power. At the close of their 65th Annual Ministers’ Conference in Kaduna, church leaders released a bold communiqué that intertwined global diplomacy with domestic accountability — rejecting a U.S. move to label Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” while urging their millions of members to rise from the pews and engage politically.
Held from October 6 to 10, 2025, at the Baptist Theological Seminary, Kaduna, the conference gathered pastors and representatives of more than four million Baptists across the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory. The theme — “The Authority of Scripture and the Mission of the Church in Troubled Times” — set the tone for a week of reflection, rebuke, and resolve.
Balancing Diplomacy and Security
In one of its most consequential pronouncements, the communiqué acknowledged that Christians in Nigeria face “persecution, not only through killings but also through discrimination based on faith.” Yet it cautioned against the U.S. Senate’s proposal to reclassify Nigeria under the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list, warning that such a move could “worsen insecurity and hinder access to critical defense support.”
The statement argued that rather than helping persecuted Christians, the designation could “embolden terrorists and weaken the state’s ability to protect its citizens.” It urged Washington and other global partners to pursue “constructive and collaborative engagement,” emphasizing joint efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s fight against insurgency and violent crime.
For the Baptist leaders, Nigeria’s crisis is not merely a religious one but a “national security failure” demanding cooperation, not confrontation.
From the Pulpit to the Polls
If their external message was measured diplomacy, their internal call was fire and thunder. In perhaps the most striking section of the communiqué, the ministers declared that it was no longer enough for Christians to pray for change — they must vote for it.
Obtaining a Permanent Voter Card (PVC), they said, is now both a civic and moral obligation. The church charged pastors to “mobilize their congregations” ahead of the 2027 general elections, framing political participation as an act of faith.
“The Church must promote righteousness in governance,” the communiqué urged, insisting that Christians must not retreat into passivity while corruption and injustice thrive.
This self-examination also came with internal rebuke. The leaders lamented “the silence of some church leaders in the face of moral decay,” warning that such quietude “erodes the Church’s prophetic witness.” They called ministers to “speak truth to power with courage and wisdom,” reaffirming the Church’s identity as “the conscience of the nation and a voice for the voiceless.”
Even within church culture, the statement demanded reform. It condemned “extravagant and financially burdensome weddings and burials” that oppress families and distract from spiritual values — a plea for moderation rooted in biblical teaching.
A Nation in Pain
Turning outward again, the conference painted a grim picture of daily life across Northern Nigeria, where “banditry, insurgency, and unemployment have destroyed livelihoods and broken communities.” While commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani for “efforts toward unity and improved security coordination,” the leaders urged deeper moral leadership.
They demanded that government “lead with the fear of God,” adopt “people-centered economic policies,” and “prioritize human welfare above political interests.”
Throughout, the communiqué anchored every message — from politics to poverty — on the unshakable authority of Scripture.
The Final Word
Signed by Rev. Joseph John Hayab, Chairman of the Seminary’s Board of Governors, and Rev. Dr. Mannaseh Panpe, Acting President, the document reads like both a sermon and a manifesto — a call to conscience in a country wrestling with faith, fear, and the future.
In rejecting foreign condemnation while demanding domestic repentance, the Northern Baptists have positioned themselves as moral navigators in Nigeria’s storm — urging believers to wield both the Bible and the ballot as instruments of transformation.
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Arewa Times 