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2023: Don’t Just Predict Political Future, Speak Truth To Power, Kaigama Charges Clerics

Published

3 years ago

January 30, 2022

Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Grace, Most Revd Ignatius Kaigama, has advised clerics to lend their voices and use their platforms more for social change rather than being what he described as ‘political forecasters’.

He said religious leaders would do better by channelling their creative energies into admonishing those in political leadership to stop rationalising bad governance and corruption by speaking truth to power.

Kaigama, however, challenged leaders to accept rejection and criticism even when they think they are doing their best.

The Archbishop, who stated this on Sunday in his homily at St. James Parish Dawaki Abuja, advised all Nigerians to embrace love by being more sensitive and respectful of one another for peace and prosperity to prevail in the country.

He said, “The story of Jesus’ rejection by His townspeople should challenge leaders to accept rejection and criticism even when they think they are doing their best; after all, their best may not be what the people cherish.

“For us religious leaders we must remain ardent in preaching the truth with courage and not be deterred even by threats to life. We are called to be the Jeremiah of our day: tell truth to power.

“Unfortunately, many religious leaders who are sadly preaching miracles and prosperity are now dabbling into political forecasting in the name of divine prophecy.

“When they claim that party A or B will win elections in a given state, or nation, or a certain strong political personality will win rather than the other, these are mere fruits of political calculations or pure guesswork, and may not be a result of any special supernatural or divine revelation.

“Serious religious leaders must not arrogate to themselves prophetic political certitude by such distracting predictions when they should be only concerned with issues of moral regeneration of lives and the constant call to spiritual decency.

“Prophets should worry rather about people encouraging them to do away with a mentality that rationalizes sin, corruption and calls evil, good.

“True Prophets don’t just glory in predicting the political future; they are rather to serve the people of God and to bring God’s word to them; to be models and witnesses by the edifying words that come from their lips and the courageous witness of their lives.

“Unlike many contemporary ministers who are out to seek a ministry of comfort, affluence and convenience, the priest is called to identify with his flock in their social and existential contexts, and in the words of Pope Francis, ‘to smell like the sheep’.

“Religious leaders must resist the temptation to do influential people’s bidding by prophesying electoral victory or massaging their worldly ego and during public religious gatherings.

“Attributes of love such as being patient, kind, gentle, forgiving, etc., will heal our badly wounded society, making our political, religious or traditional leaders and all Nigerians more sensitive to and respectful of one another.”

VANGUARD

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Judge In Maradona Negligence Case Resigns Amid Scandal

Published

6 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

The Argentine judge who caused the collapse of a trial over the 2020 death of football legend Diego Maradona has resigned, her lawyer said Tuesday.

Julieta Makintach’s involvement in a clandestine documentary about the trial of Maradona’s medical team led to the proceedings being scrapped in May after two months of hearings.

No date has yet been set for a new trial.

“I have the honor of addressing you in my capacity as judge (…)in order to submit my resignation from my position,” Makintach wrote in a letter to the governor of Buenos Aires that was shared by her lawyer.

Makintach was facing impeachment proceedings over her participation in the documentary about the case against seven medical staff accused of manslaughter over Maradona’s death.

Maradona — considered one of the world’s greatest ever players — died in November 2020 at the age of 60 while recovering from brain surgery.

He died of heart failure and acute pulmonary edema — a condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs — two weeks after going under the knife.

Prosecutor say the conditions of his home convalescence were grossly negligent.

Makintach was one of three judges hearing the case.

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Netanyahu Vows To Thwart ‘Any Attempt’ By Iran To Rebuild Nuclear Programme

Published

6 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Tuesday to crush any attempt by Iran to rebuild its nuclear programme in a national address to the country after 12 days of war.

“Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” Netanyahu said after a ceasefire put a halt to airstrikes by the two countries against each other.

“We have thwarted Iran’s nuclear project. And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt,” he added.

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Netanyahu Hails ‘Historic Victory’ In Iran War

Published

6 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday hailed a “historic victory” in his country’s 12-day war against Iran and vowed to prevent Tehran rebuilding its nuclear facilities.

“We have achieved a historic victory,” Netanyahu said in a televised address to the nation after the start of a ceasefire agreed to by both countries.

“Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,” he told viewers in the near-10-minute speech.

“We have thwarted Iran’s nuclear project. And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild it, we will act with the same determination, with the same intensity, to foil any attempt,” he added.

The head of Israel’s military Eyal Zamir said earlier on Tuesday that its strikes had set back Iran’s nuclear programme “by years” and the campaign against the country was now “entering a new phase”.

Iran said on Tuesday that it was ready to return to nuclear negotiations with the United States as the ceasefire took hold.

But Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country would continue to “assert its legitimate rights” to the peaceful use of atomic power.

Israel’s government said in a statement earlier Tuesday that it had removed the “dual existential threat” of Iran’s nuclear programme and missiles during its strikes.

Netanyahu claimed that Israel’s attack on Iran, named “Operation Rising Lion”, would be “recorded in the annals of Israel’s wars, and will be studied by armies all over the world.”

It included repeated strikes on Iran’s nuclear and missile sites, assassinations of military and domestic security service leaders, as well as the bombing of state media and Evin prison in Tehran.

After the United States joined in the conflict with strikes on Sunday, President Donald Trump said his forces had “totally obliterated” Iran’s main nuclear sites.

Analysts said, however, that it remained unclear whether the strikes had put the nuclear threat out of reach, with the possibility that Iran had moved its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium away from the targeted sites.

Tehran has always denied seeking a nuclear weapon.