As controversies and condemnation continue to trail the ordination of a gay bishop in the United States of America, the Central Baptist Conference of the Nigerian Baptist Convention has lauded the Anglican Church in Nigeria for championing the campaigns against the ordination.

The Executive Secretary of the Conference, Rev. Nathan Nwachukwu stated in Jos, yesterday that "we condemn without any reservation, the eroding of the scriptures today by many churches such as the ordination of homosexuals and wedding of homosexuals today. We commend the Anglican Church in Nigeria for taking a strong stand and championing the campaigns against such unholy practice. It is an abomination and we are proud of the Anglican Church of Nigeria."

Nwachukwu who lamented the church has been commercialised and polarised, stressed that churches have jettisoned the virtue of righteous and holy living.

In his words, "We thank God for His church world over, but for the Church, the world would have been a different place today. We condemn the commercialization of the church and decry the was sacrifice and holy lives are no longer emphasized in many churches," Nwachukwu said.

On the state of the nation, the Executive Secretary described the general election as "almost a national disgrace. This government is not yet the government of the masses but the government of politicians, there is great suffering in this native."

He said the people in government are only interested in repaying those who sponsored them to power, adding that "The ordinary people who voted them into power are yet to be reached, though they seem to tell us that it was their money that put them in office."

He appealed to political office holders in all tiers of government to ensure that the people they are supposed to be serving get the "dividends of democracy" as their reward for voting them into office.

Nwachukwu lambasted the government for givng lip-service to the fight against corruption, saying "it has remained a paper work. We need to see concrete things and corrupt officers and politicians punished. For now, the fight against corruption is a huge joke."

On the forthcoming "Baptist Day of Celebration", the Executive Secretary disclosed that the programme was slated for November 9, 2003 at the Jos. Township Stadium.

He added that churches under the Baptist Convention spread over the Central region are expected at the Conference.