4 days ago
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Bishop Leonard Umunna, General Overseer of Bible Life Church Cathedral, has called for a review of Nigeria’s constitution to reflect the country’s experiences and address what he described as persistent national problems, particularly ethnicity and corruption.
Umunna made the call while speaking with journalists at his church in Lagos, arguing that Nigeria needs laws and safeguards tailored to its circumstances rather than a system that fails to address recurring challenges.
He said the country’s constitution should be developed with lessons from past events in mind, warning that failure to address wrongdoing at its early stages allows problems to grow and become more difficult to control.
According to him, Nigeria must learn from its experiences and introduce safeguards to prevent the repetition of mistakes that have weakened its institutions and hindered national development.
The cleric identified ethnic divisions as one of the country’s major challenges, saying competition and suspicion among different groups have widened divisions and complicated the nation’s political relationships.
He expressed concern that ethnic considerations continue to influence political discourse and competition for power, instead of encouraging Nigerians to work together towards common national objectives.
Umunna also identified corruption as a major obstacle to Nigeria’s progress, describing it as a serious problem that must be confronted through firm and principled leadership.
He argued that the country needs leaders who can enforce standards and take decisive action against wrongdoing without becoming tyrannical.
“As the times are getting worse, we should need stronger leaders, who will not be tyrannical, but yet strongly principled, as to say, this is the right thing,” he said.
Umunna maintained that Nigeria’s problems require more than routine political promises, insisting that the country must confront the underlying issues preventing it from achieving its potential.
He questioned why Nigeria, despite its abundant natural and human resources, continues to struggle to translate its endowments into national prosperity and an improved international standing.
According to him, the country possesses the resources and capacity to contribute significantly to the development of other African nations, but has yet to adequately harness those advantages for its own people.
The bishop linked the country’s difficulties to weaknesses in governance and the failure to apply effective solutions to longstanding problems.
He argued that constitutional reform, stronger institutions and a determined effort to tackle corruption and ethnic divisions were necessary for meaningful progress.
He also stressed the importance of adapting lessons from other countries to Nigeria’s circumstances, rather than adopting foreign approaches without considering the country’s particular needs.
He called for a system of governance capable of responding to the country’s challenges while ensuring that leaders act responsibly and in the broader public interest.
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