He models his ministry after the words of Mahatma Gandhi who once said, “Nature has enough for our need, but not enough for our greed.” Rev. Uma Onwunta, former principal clerk of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, believes Christians have an important role to play in helping heal the world of its ills. “So let's try to put away our greed and meet a need somewhere,” he says.
Born and raised in Nigeria, a country of 132 million people and more than 250 ethno-linguistic groups, Onwunta lived through the civil war that killed more than one million people between 1967 and 1970. Violent confl ict has been a staple in Nigeria's history, often fuelled by land disputes and Christian-Muslim tensions. He has learned how destructive greed and the quest for power can be. “What is it that makes people choose terrorism as a lifestyle? What environment precedes this?” he asks. “It's an environment of frustration, and people will always fi nd it appealing to join a lifestyle that offers freedom.”
If the problem is not solved, such a lifestyle will follow a person, no matter where they go. “You can't think someone isn't your neighbour just because he does not live in your town,” he said. “The next day they could be here, and they come with all their baggage, both good and bad. We must fi nd a way to help a world that is sick, bleeding and has lost its sense of direction.”
Onwunta believes respectful dialogue is the key to solving problems. He is particularly interested in ethnic diversity, and how the church in Nigeria can address these issues. “There are different groups in our church and our country, and the ethnic groups often don't get along,” he says. “The message we have to preach is reconciliation, love and forgiveness.”
Onwunta was in Canada in late 2005 to research the history of mission in the Presbyterian Church. He is grateful for the partnership between his church and the PCC, which began in 1954 when the first missionary arrived. A doctoral student at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, Onwunta spent much of his time in Canada at church offices combing through the archives and interviewing former missionaries.
He has come to realize that asking deep, pressing questions is one of the most useful and pivotal actions the church can take. “If we're not comfortable with where we are, what can we do?” he asks. “People who make a difference see that they can do something. You have to ask yourself, 'If everybody believed in the way I'm living, will everything be okay? If not, what can I do differently?'”
He said asking questions acknowledges our limitations as human beings, and helps us learn about ourselves and each other. He said the Bible is a prime example of the need for inquiry, and it is through this process that change occurs. “What is the problem? Am I the cause? What can happen and how? [Asking questions] helps you see, as an individual, that you have a role to play and you can make a difference.”
