By: Felix Ikpotor
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has charged religious leaders in the state not to allow their pulpits to be used for abuses and casting aspersions on persons in the state.
Fubara stated this against the backdrop of recent attacks by top politicians in the state who have been using their appearances at churches’ events to make inflammatory comments.
The governor said nobody, no matter how highly placed should be allowed to use the pulpits for inglorious reasons, adding that even if it’s him, the church should be courageous to call him to order when he starts speaking in such an unacceptable manner from the pulpit.
Fubara, who gave the charge at the 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Service at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chaplaincy, Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Rumuibekwe, in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area on Sunday, also called for recognition of the sacrifices of the men and officers of the armed forces while they are alive.
He said: “Let me also appeal to all the religious leaders in this State, please, your pulpit should be a place to talk about peace, progress; talk about the unity of the people of Rivers State. It shouldn’t be an opportunity for people to cast aspersions, abuse people, say all sorts of things. And more worrisome is that it is in the house of God. Please, I want to beg you (the churches), with due respect, you need to stop it; If I start shooting out of order, drag the microphone from me.”
Fubara promised to support the families of the fallen heroes, while assuring that his governnment would continue to do its best in securing the lives and properties of people of the state.
He said: “I want to say that our government will not be a government that will put its energy only in remembering the late soldiers, and those who have died in the course of defending this country.
“I want to change the narrative a bit. We want to also support, strongly, those people that they have left behind, so that they will know what the government and the good people of Rivers State did for them. Let it also be that people will be remembered by the government for taking the right decision for them and helping them develop to be something great in our country.”
He added: “We want to assure the legionnaires on whose instance this occasion is centred on. We want to assure the Armed Forces that this government will continue to do its best to protect lives of our people, and to take the welfare of our people seriously.
“At the end of the day, it is about the people, and the people should come first. We want to assure you that those things we have promised, which I believe we have met a good number of them; however, if there is any one that we have not done, we will do it to make sure that you are not remembered after your death, but that while you are alive, you also enjoy yourself in the right way.”
Earlier in his homily, the Chaplain of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chaplaincy, Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Very Reverend Monsignor Pius Kii, who spoke on the theme, “Remembrance”, emphasised the importance of rendering worthy services, to God, society and humanity, saying they do not go unnoticed by God who recompense justly.
Rev Kii, therefore, admonished that proper remuneration should be instituted for men and women of the Armed Forces who have continued to fight against external aggressions, terrorism, and curbed internal insurgencies, with some of them paying the supreme price to ensure a peaceful society for the citizenry.
