Chaplaincy Profession has Long been Recognized in Nigeria by the Government.

Chaplaincy Profession has Long been Recognized in Nigeria by the Government. 

Chaplaincy profession is known to have been accorded the right of place by every succeeding government in this nation, Nigeria.

I wish to say emphatically that right from the first republic, chaplains had been assigned to the presidency to offer pastoral and religious services to the president, the prime minister, those that work with them and their relations.

The particular religion of the prime minister, actually was a determinant factor in determining who is appointed as chaplain, to whom, those that work with them and relations.

The intermittent military government we have had in Nigeria had also shown their recognition and acceptance for chaplaincy profession, and made use of military chaplains in their various governments, especially when people were executed by firing squads; military chaplains were seen performing in the open.

Then the second republic was ushered in the year 1979 with Alahaji Shehu Shagari as the president and Dr. Alex Ekwueme as his vice. From 1979 to 1983, the state house had Muslim Imams serving the president and Anglican Priests serving the vice president, their workers and as their family chaplains.

NB: Although these muslim clerics as well as the protestant clergies were never trained chaplains, they were however, performing ritualistic duties of chaplains in recognition of chaplaincy profession and service delivery from the third republic to the present republic and government.

Chaplaincy profession has also been granted the place of pride as muslim clerics and Christian clergies have been appointed to offer chaplaincy services in the presidency called “Aso Villa Chaplain.”

The wrong approach for the recognition has been taken by chaplaincy leaders who were grooming chaplains for para-military engagements that never come to limelight.

It is untrue that government of nation, Nigeria had not granted chaplaincy the needed recognition. We owe it a duty to the people of this great nation to prepare all chaplains for:-

1.     Adequate chaplaincy education.

2.     Adequate professional chaplaincy practice.

3.     Adequate professional chaplaincy education.

4.     Adequate chaplaincy skill acquisition.

5.     Marketability and employability of chaplains.

We owe the people of our nation the responsibility of encouraging individual chaplaincy organizations to prepare chaplains adequately for employment or gainful employment or placement.

The right chaplaincy education must be provided. The right people must be prepared to become chaplains. We of the Association of Professional Chaplains in Nigeria will not relent in our efforts.

What chaplains should be seeking from the government now is not the recognition of chaplaincy profession but another amendment of the nation’s constitution to incorporate chaplaincy practice in the constitution and to give chaplaincy a constitutional provision.

By

Archbishop Chap. Prof. Mike-Jacobs

APCIN’S President-General.