Poverty like time bomb waiting to explode, Martins warns

…As Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos ordains 10 new priests

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Adewale Martins, has warned that the current poverty rate in the country is a time bomb waiting to explode if drastic actions are not taken to halt the trend.

Martins made this known during the priestly ordination ceremony of 10 new priests of the Lagos archdiocese held at the Catholic Church of the Holy Spirit, Onireke on Thursday October 31, 2024.

According to Martins, the current socioeconomic trajectory calls for sacrifices especially on the path of the government as a stop-gap measure seen at reducing the telling impact of the ongoing economic reforms.

“I believe that in the first instance, the leadership needs to show that it is necessary to make sacrifices. By themselves making sacrifices that people can see, people can feel that they are making,” Martins said.

He further urged Nigerians not to lose hope about the current state of the country, but to look at some of the economic reforms as necessary actions needed to set the country on the path of growth.

“Although the efforts obviously have not translated into an easier life or better life for people yet. But I think we are very cynical because of our experiences as politicians over the years.

And therefore, if there are signals that there must be some hope, let us give ourselves a chance to hope. Because I believe that there is some hope which eventually, if policies are followed in a way that will really benefit the people, and does benefit the people, then there is no reason to lose hope,” Martins said.

Read also: Only growth can defuse Nigeria’s poverty time bomb, says Bloomberg

Speaking on the newly ordained priest and the impact their ordination will have on the Church, Martins said that the 10 ordained priests will strengthen the priesthood in the archdiocese. “We add 10 to the 176 that were there before. So, we just say thanks be to God that the numbers are increasing and they are getting greater every year at the grace of God.”

On his charge to the newly ordained priests, the Lagos Archbishop said it is a beginning of a new life of service to the Church and the body of Christ. According to him, people should be able to see Christ through the priests whenever and wherever they present themselves for service to the Church.

“That they are being ordained is what we call in the theology of the Biblical language, being configured to Christ; being made to become the presence of Christ in the world today. And that is a big thing for anybody to be. And so it is so very vital that this day has happened to mark the beginning of their priestly service, trying to become more like Christ,” Martins said.

Vincent Oluwanifesimi Bankole, St Charles Lwanga Catholic Church, Omotayo Estate, Orile Agege, the homily, in his sermon to the newly ordained priests urged them never to compete with anybody but to see their calling as a sign of service in God’s vineyard, warning that the priesthood is not a right.

According to him, God consecrates and appoints through the Church hence the newly ordained priests have been called to be a priestly father. He further urged the ordained priests to teach and preach the Catholic faith in an undiluted way.

Caption: Adewale Martins, Catholic Archbishop of Lagos (middles) flanked by the 10 newly ordained priests of the Lagos archdiocese at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Onireke, Lagos.