Cyriacus Nnaji
His Grace, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, the Catholic Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, on September 14, 2024, at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos, conferred Papal Honours on five Lay Faithful of the Archdiocese.
The honorees were recognised by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for their dedication and exceptional service to the Church in different Apostolates. They include Mr. Peter Amangbo, who was invested as a Knight of St. Gregory, as well as Messrs Walter Akpani and Peter Nwanze, who were invested as Knights of St. Sylvester. On their part, Lady Christine ‘Doja Otedola’ and Mr. Julius Olufunsho Britto, were honoured as Medalists in the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice category.
According to His Grace, the Archbishop “These Lady and Gentlemen have distinguished themselves in faith and morals, and have contributed immensely to the growth of the Church and Society. The Awards are a testament to their dedication, hard work, and commitment to living out their faith.”
Archbishop Martins used the opportunity of the investiture to comment on current events in Nigeria especially the economic hardship being experienced by the people.
He advised those in authorities to do something very fast to cushion the economic challenges in the land. He further stated that they should show they are serous with the fight against corruption. He said. “Basically it is for Government to recognize that there is hardship in our land, there are no two words about it. It is evident everywhere. Government at different levels should begin to up their games on this matter; because the whole idea of the people now is that something drastic must be done.”
Archbishop Martins said he has been an advocate of entrepreneurship as key driver of the economy, calling on government to provide conducive environment for small businesses to thrive. “I have said it that one of the things that we have to do is to do a little more to encourage, to enhance and to support private enterprises, to ensure that private entrepreneurs are able to thrive within this nation. Because more than any other thing, it is the private entrepreneurs that are capable of enhancing and providing the job, providing the wellbeing the people desire, and unless the government provides the enabling environment, this is going to be difficult.”
He decried a situation whereby businesses are annihilated with multiple taxations. “These days you talk about multiple taxation and different kinds of levies, these days we talk about the facilities they need which are not being provided adequately, electricity and infrastructures are just simply inadequate; so these are some of the things we are asking the government to do in order to ensure private enterprises thrive in our nation.”
Speaking on the need to battle corruption, he said those whose duties it is to pilot the affairs of the country must come clean on issues of corruption. “And then, of course, Government officials should lead us by example of life, because to justify corruption by any stage of imagination is certainly not the best, rather they should be leading us into higher values, values that will help us to overcome.”
Speaking on criminalizing protest, the Archbishop said “We know one of the ways these people can give feedback to government about the state of their lives is by protesting, some go out there to protest in public, others can protest silently, others can find different ways of protesting. And this should be accommodated as long as it did not lead to criminal activities. The right to protest should be secured.”
On those who were arrested and detained because of the protest and without trial, he said “Obviously it is unacceptable, that people were arrested and are not given the opportunity of having lawyers or having access to their families, whatever the case maybe, our law still provides that people are presumed innocent until proven guilty. So they need to be given what is their right to protect their dignity.
“Of course if people commit crime, we cannot tolerate crime, but the people are simply people who demonstrated that they are not satisfied, they are hungry, there is absolutely no justification for holding them, even for arraigning them, let the people be given their due process of their right to be represented and to be heard,” Archbishop Martins stated.
The Former First Lady and Mother of business Mogul, Femi Otedola, Lady Michael Otedola speaking on the honour done her said, “This is the award from above, not from anybody, it is the lord’s doing. Age is no barrier in serving God. I have been serving my God doggedly and God said this is the time, that I should be compensated. I thank God, I thank mother Mary that we are alive today to witness this event. I am so happy and I want to use this opportunity to thank the Archbishop and all those who made today a reality.”
Papal Orders of the Knighthood are bestowed in the name of the Pope, by his authority as Head of the Holy See, and Sovereign of the Vatican City State.
