Sola Adeyemo 
The Archbishop of Ibadan Province, Dr Williams Aladekugbe, has urged clergy and ministers of God to do more in their sermons and preachings to save people from depression, loss of hope and probably suicide occasioned by the current economic hardship.
Aladekugbe while delivering the 1st Distinguished Alumni Lecture of the Department of Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan over the weekend, gave this charge.
The lecture entitled: “The Faith Once Delivered to the Saints in the Context of Contemporary Socio-Economic Challenges”, was held at the Otunba Subomi Balogun Conference Centre, UI.
Aladekugbe who is also the Bishop of Ibadan North (Anglican) Diocese, lamented that the current debate in Nigeria society is the issue of the economic situation and how it may affect the people’s response to future elections and political matters because people have been disappointed by the political class many times.
He said “It has been observed that the present situation has become unbearable for the citizens of Nigeria. People in different locations of the country are lamenting and discussing the future of Nigeria’s political structure as a result of present economic woes on social media.
“In the streets, in clubhouses, voices are being heard that the faith of a common man has been affected. Some people are saying “God, where are you?
“The clergy and the ministers of God have more to do at a time like this to save people from depression, loss of hope and probably from suicide.
“Lectures, sermons and teachings should be intensified to keep the faith of the Christians alive so that they can triumph over this period which is believed would be for a short period.”
He explained that people exhibit various forms of fear based on the current situation, but warned that faith should be cultivated as a step to attracting God’s divine intervention.
“In the Nigerian society of today, the people’s religious lives are characterised by fear of the enemies, fear of tomorrow, fear of the unknown, fear of poverty and fear of what has not happened but is being imagined. All these seem unsolvable to the people because of the absence of faith.
“Looking at the myriad of problems confronting Christians today, these problems cannot be solved through fear. In response to the fear in society, we emphasized faith as a major solution to human problems. God should remain a reference point to everyone who desires a practical solution to the problems of life”, the cleric added.
