Communique At The End Of 2023 Retreat of Bishops and Their Wives of The Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE BISHOPS AND WIVES RETREAT OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION) HELD AT ARCHBISHOP ADEBOLA AND MRS. OLURANTI ADEMOWO RESOURCE CENTRE,BARIGA, Lagos,BETWEEN JANUARY 9TH AND 13TH 2023.

Introduction
The Maiden Joint Retreat of the Bishops and Wives of the Church of  Nigeria (AnglicanCommunion) which held between Monday,9th&Friday,13th  January, 2023 under the leadership of the Archbishop,Metropolitan  and
Primate of the Church of Nigeria-Anglican Communion,the Most Reverend Henry C. Ndukuba, DD, and his wife, Mrs Angela E.Ndukuba(MamaNigeria),which was attended by 300participants (Bishopsandtheirwives).Thejoint retreat, which was the first of its kind, also had in attendance two Bishops and  their wives from Cameroon and Ghana. The retreat offered the Bishops and their  wives an opportunity tot hank God for leading them through thechallenges of the previousyearwhilst  entrusting the new year into his hands, trusting him to empower them for service and toprotect and shield them throughout the newyear. The retreat,. which began with the celebration of the Holy Communion (theLordsSupper),providedopportunitiesforprayerand worship,BibleStudy,aswellaslecturesandinteractivesessions.

Theme
Diligence in Serving the only TrueGod(John17:3-4)  And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God,and Jesus Christ whom you hav sent. I glorified  you on earth,having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.’

The focus of the theme,taken from Christ’s High Priestly prayer,the longest in the Bible,was on discerning the truetask of Jesus on earth and the calling of Bishops and disciples of the Lord,to show discipline unfulfilling the ministry into whichthey have been called,namely to show the way to eternal life, and to be diligently doing it.It calls on Christian ministers not to compromise their calling amidst the multifariouspractices within the modem day religious context. Rather they are to depend on the Lord’s word to sanctify them and his Spirit to empower them for diligentservice. In all. they are to make Jesus, who alone reveals the only true God,their only authentic example for ministry.

2023 General Elections
The Bishops and their wives prayed fervently for Nigeria, recognizing especially the very imminent General Elections starting in February,2023.
They call on Nigerians to be diligent, first in collecting their PVCs in the on going exercise, to enable them participate in the forth coming election, and to be conscientious in voting for the right people who can diligently serve the country and lead it out of its numerous social and political problems.They call on Nigerians to reject vote-buying politicians and exercise their franchise with a clear conscience and conviction. Everyone will be responsible for his or her actions and this is particularly important now that the country needs dedicated and sincere leaders to serve.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC)
The House urges INEC to ensure that the elections are free, fair and credible and that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) functions seamlessly.
The House also frowns on the incessant attacks on INEC offices, personnel and facilities and urges the people involved to desist from this act. It further calls on the Nigerian Security Services to provide adequate security for INEC before, during and after the election.

believers across the globe.It calls on the global Anglican Communion to embrace
obedience to the Word of God and esche wall forms of compromise and liberal tendencies that are capable of undermining the Living Word of God and its transforming impact on the lives of believers and the society as a whole.

Leadership as Bane of Society
The House recognizes the poverty of ideals and failure of leadership as the major factor responsible foremost of Nigeria’s socio-economica and political woes.It calls on leaders at all levels toshow firm commitment to people-oriented policies and effective response to the needs of the people.The House further calls on Christians to be true to their calling by living according to thespiritual and moral demands of their identity,as holy and beloved children of God, living in a perverse and wicked world. They should consciously live out their faith as light in the darkness of the world and salt on the earth.