…Bishop Nneoyi Egbe Declares Nigeria ‘Dead’, Calls for National Rebirth
Calabar –The 2nd Session of the 12th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Calabar opened Wednesday with a scathing assessment of the state of the Nigerian nation, as the Diocesan Bishop, Rt. Rev. Prof. Nneoyi Onen Egbe, declared that “Nigeria is dead” and urgently in need of a new constitution, institutional reform, and national rebirth.
Speaking during a press conference at St. Jude’s Anglican Church, Eke Effiong Nta, Calabar, the Bishop said that the country, as currently constituted, is unworkable and teetering on the edge of total collapse.
“The Nigerian nation is in simple words DEAD! We use this word deliberately because there is no other way to describe where we are now. Only the dead stay dead,” Bishop Egbe declared.
The Synod communiqué laid out a bold eleven-point blueprint for national recovery, with strong emphasis on political restructuring, constitutional reform, and institutional integrity.
Among the demands is the complete overhaul of the 1999 Constitution, which the bishop described as a document lacking legitimacy and reflective of a faulty foundation.
“We must destroy what we currently call our constitution and get a proper, national and true one,” he said, calling it a necessary first step toward rescuing the country from institutional decay.
The bishop also took aim at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing its current composition as politically compromised and calling for the appointment of its chairman through a non-partisan process.
“The INEC chair should not be a political appointee but perhaps emerge from a college to be made of religious and traditional leaders from across the nation,” the bishop suggested.
In perhaps his most emphatic policy demand, Bishop Egbe called for the entrenchment of true federalism, arguing that Nigeria’s current centralized structure was outdated and unsustainable.
“We will not stop calling for this until it becomes a reality. Federating units should control their resources and make contributions to the center,” he stressed.
The press statement also touched on broader societal reforms including the eradication of the “Nigerian factor,” a return to meritocracy, the overhaul of the judiciary, the promotion of patriotism over ethnicity, and tightening of national borders to stem insecurity and illegal migration.
“We must stop lying to ourselves. Restoration of justice to the land is the first major step towards recovering Nigeria. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!” the bishop warned.
Despite the dire tone, Bishop Egbe ended his statement on a hopeful note, expressing belief in Nigeria’s capacity for resurrection.
“We as a church have prayed and are still praying. We believe that the resurrection and life, even our Lord Jesus Christ, can and will give life back to us as a nation… A new Nigeria is indeed possible, and will be a reality if we are honest enough to drive the rebirth.”
The Synod continues through the week with discussions expected to focus on “idols”, spiritual renewal, community development, and the role of the Church in national transformation.
