John Onaiyekan, Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, has called on Nigerians to ensure that politicians they support are really interested in service to the country, rather than to themselves.
He also called on the people to “stop looking for local heroes and tribal champions, who most of the time, do not care, really, about our local needs nor those of the nation”.
This formed part of his address at the Interfaith Conference on Religious Harmony in Nigeria, held in Abuja on Saturday.
Onaiyekan also lamented selfishness, which he is at th root of corruption.
His words: “Selfishness at all levels — personal, family, tribal, regional, and even religious — this is at the root of corruption, violence, disloyalty and the win-at-all-cost and by-all-means syndrome at elections. If we continue this way, good governance, genuine democracy, national unity, peace and prosperity for all Nigerians will continue to elude us.”
“We need a concept of politics that is based on the readiness to serve the common good of all Nigerians. The emphasis should be on service, not self-service. We the people, on our part, should stop looking for local heroes and tribal champions, who most of the time, do not care, really, about our local needs nor those of the nation.”
He also called on religious leaders to focus on messages that will see to the common good of the entire society.
