Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has declared that Nigeria’s path to sustainable development lies in producing God-fearing leaders, arguing that the country’s numerous challenges stem largely from a lack of moral leadership and accountability.
Fubara made the assertion on Thursday while receiving the World President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Erton Köhler, alongside his wife, Andriene Marques Köhler, daughter Mariana Marques Köhler, and other senior ministers of the church at Government House, Port Harcourt.
The governor commended the Seventh-day Adventist Church for its long-standing investment in education, noting that its institutions have continued to produce future leaders while promoting moral values.
He observed that beyond preaching the Christian faith, the church had demonstrated commitment to nation-building through its educational institutions, including two universities in Nigeria.
“Our country is where it is today because we lack the fear of God. If you have the fear of God, there should be a limit to what you can do because you understand the supremacy of God. But when God is not in your equation, you’ll go beyond the line, and that is what has brought us to where we are today,” Fubara said.
He stressed that Nigeria requires leaders who are not only academically equipped but also guided by integrity and the fear of God.
“We need the right people in the right places, prepared properly with good minds. That is what we need, not just in Nigeria but across the world,” he added.
The governor further linked the country’s social and economic problems—including poverty, corruption, inequality and criminality—to the absence of responsible and God-fearing leadership in positions of authority.
According to him, good governance should guarantee access to quality education, affordable healthcare and decent living conditions capable of giving citizens confidence in the future.
“If the little money you’re paid as wages can afford quality healthcare, and after working for 15 to 20 years you can own a roof over your head, tell me why you should be involved in crime? People become secure, and the fear of the future that fuels many social vices will disappear,” he said.
Fubara thanked the delegation for its prayers and continued support for Rivers State, assuring the church of his administration’s commitment to partnering with faith-based organisations in advancing societal development.
Earlier, Köhler said he was in Nigeria for a special conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church aimed at empowering thousands of ministers for more effective service to the church and society.
He thanked the Rivers State governor for the warm reception, describing the visit as memorable, and disclosed that the church has more than 24 million members and over 182,000 places of worship across 212 countries worldwide.