OUR FATHERS HAVE SINNED – A MORNING REFLECTION

This morning, I woke up with a scripture echoing in my heart,
Lamentations 5:7 :
“Our fathers have sinned and are no more, and we bear their iniquities.”

But Nigeria’s case feels different.
Our fathers have sinned, and they are still here.
Yet we, the children, are bearing the consequences of their actions.

The Weight of a Nation’s Failure

I began reflecting on the political state of our country, and the role of the church.
We grew up hearing slogans like,
“Church and politics don’t mix,”
“Christians should stay away from politics.”

But over time, we’ve seen the church entangle itself with politics, sometimes not to uplift, but to compromise, not to speak truth, but to protect power.

Vice President Osinbajo recently said at Bishop Mike Okonkwo’s birthday celebration,

“In the past, the church helped nations grow in integrity, progress, and development. But today, in Nigeria, the church has contributed to the nation’s decline and destruction.”

That hit hard.
Lamentations says our fathers are no more,
But here, in Nigeria, our fathers are still here, and their sins are still shaping our reality.

The Pulpit Has Been Hijacked

We were taught to stay away from politics,
Yet we watch many of our spiritual fathers openly defend politicians.
We see pulpits turned into campaign platforms,
We hear sermons tailored to favour the powerful, or to instil fear in the people.

While Nigerians cry under hardship,
While families struggle to eat,
While young people lose hope,
The church remains silent, or worse, complicit.

Only a few voices of faith dare to speak out.
Many defend the current administration,
Many attack opposition voices,
Few stand for the truth.

And because of this, we, the younger generation, are left to carry the weight of their compromise.

A Warning to the Church

If this trend continues,
A time will come when people will stop going to church.
Right now, many are adjusting,
Many are keeping quiet,
But the day is coming when Nigerians will rise,
And by then, it may be too late.

Honour Without Blindness

Yes, our fathers are fathers, and we honor them,
But as a son of this land, I must say,
Our fathers have not done us well.

We cannot continue to call ourselves a righteous people,
While our nation is ruled by the worst of us.

We cannot preach holiness,
While defending corruption.

We cannot sing of revival,
While silencing truth.

It’s Time to Speak Again

It’s time for the church to recover its prophetic voice.
It’s time to return to integrity, courage, and selflessness.
It’s time to stop being an echo for power,
And start being a voice for truth.

Because if we don’t,
We will not only bear the iniquities of our fathers,
We will become them.