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By EricJames Ochigbo
Rev. Fr. Robert Kajoh, a Catholic priest of the Missionary Society of St. Paul, has urged officials and stakeholders in the 2027 general elections to reject inducements and discharge their responsibilities with integrity.
Kajoh gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of his 25th priestly anniversary in Abuja.
NAN reports that St. Anselm Chaplaincy, Gwagwalada, organised the ceremony.
Kajoh served as its chaplain for 11 years before his posting to St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Parish, Humble, Texas, United States, in January.
The cleric cautioned voters and election workers against allowing financial incentives or material benefits to influence their decisions, warning that such rewards could undermine the country’s democratic future.
According to him, material rewards are temporary compared with the long-term consequences of compromising the nation’s future for personal gain.
Kajoh urged Nigerians to be content with what they had and resist compromising their values for money, saying sacrifices made for the common good would benefit future generations.
He called on Nigerians to embrace honesty, integrity and accountability, saying that if 20 per cent of the country’s population committed to doing what was right, the nation could transform within a short time.
“My hope is that election workers, as men and women of faith, will do the right thing, refuse to compromise or sell their conscience for money or material things, which are transient.
“If they are honest and do their jobs, rejecting inducements, they will preserve their integrity and trust that God will provide for them.
“No sacrifice is too great to secure a better future for our children and grandchildren. No amount of money is worth compromising our destiny.
“If people stand firmly for what is right, God, who provides for the birds of the air, will provide for them. We should be content with what we have and trust Him to increase our efforts,” he said.
Kajoh expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve the community, describing his experience as evidence that his priestly calling had made a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
In his remarks, the Chaplain of St. Anselm Chaplaincy, Rev. Fr. Tony Bassey, described Kajoh as an intelligent, sociable, humble, hardworking and compassionate priest.
He urged leaders at all levels to embrace humility, compassion and teamwork while developing independence and critical thinking to address the needs of their followers.
“Kajoh works with people, he takes people along, and we need leadership that takes people along, that listens to people, and Kajoh is a compassionate person that cares for his parishioners; you can see how many people troop around him.
“So we need leaders in Nigeria that are very compassionate, that are down to earth, that feel the impulse, the pains, and the tears of the people and that are able to address them.
“Kajoh is also very sound, intelligent and analytical. We need leaders who are sound and intelligent, able to analyse issues for themselves.
“They should provide solutions to people’s challenges, not depend on others to think for them.
“Kajoh is a very prayerful person; we see him talk about righteousness, about prayer and so on. We need leaders who are very prayerful and pray for the nation.
“Not those who keep watch at night to think of how to steal from Nigeria, but those who pray and wish the good of Nigeria,” he said.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chairman of St. Anselm Chaplaincy Pastoral Council, Mr Joseph Eneji, said Kajoh left behind a vibrant chaplaincy.
Eneji said Kajoh built a community committed to prayer, spiritual growth and revival programmes, while establishing institutions that promoted devotion and worship.
“Kajoh was able to build lives that can handle their challenges through prayers to get solution.
“Kajoh was able to build hearts of the people at the Chaplaincy for God. He built a committed and vibrant Chaplaincy.
“He has impacted lives physically and spiritually, he has mentored many. Kajoh brought a lot of transformations to the chaplaincy and therefore, deserved every right to be celebrated.
“St. Anselm Chaplaincy was privileged to have Fr. Kajoh as a chaplain for more than decade, so celebrating his 25th priestly ordination anniversary is worth doing,” he said.
The celebrant’s mother, Mama Elizabeth Kajoh, expressed joy at witnessing what she described as God’s blessings in her life and the lives of her children.
Mama Kajoh urged young parents to ensure that families prayed and worshipped together in holiness, saying parents must set good examples for their children.
“I feel blessed, in fact, I keep asking God what have I done to deserve so much blessings; these blessings, I do not merit them.
“What is most effective is prayer. Prayer in the home is very important. If you do not pray with your children, when they go out there, they will not know what to do.
“The Lord has said that, ‘train a child in the way it should go, when he fires up, he will not part from it’; prayer is very, very important,” she said.
Dr Emmanuel Kajoh, the celebrant’s brother, prayed for God’s continued blessings and strength for the priest as he continued his ministry and prepared to celebrate more years of service.
“God will continue to bless and will continue to strengthen him, to continue to lead him, to continue to go before him to lead him, behind him to guide him, above him to keep and within to strengthen him, so that his ministry will continue to grow to win more souls.
“May God give him good health, long life, so that he will celebrate another 25 years,” he said.
A parishioner, Mrs Eunice Apochi, described Kajoh as a wonderful and spiritual priest who had positively impacted individuals and the worshipping community.
“He is a priest that has lifted me spiritually, he is my spiritual director; his prayer has touched lives, a lot of people have been healed through his prayer, we have had a lot of converts through his ministry, there is so much to say about him, actually.
“I wish that God will bless him, God will keep him, and God will grant him all that he needs for a very good life. And I also pray above all, that he will never regret being a servant of God,” she prayed.(NAN)
EOO/GOM/AMM
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Edited by Gregg Mmaduakolam/Abiemwense Moru
English (US) ·