Archbishop Amos Madu Links Igbo Struggles to Absence of Gratitude, Urges National Moral Reset
By Njenje Media News
Enugu | London – As preparations continue for the inaugural Igbo World Day of Adoration and Thanksgiving, Emeritus Archbishop Amos Madu, former Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Enugu and former Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Oji River, has attributed many of the challenges confronting Ndi Igbo since the end of the Nigerian civil war to the absence of sustained collective gratitude to God.
Speaking on The State of the Igbo Nation programme broadcast by Njenje Media TV, Archbishop Madu said thanksgiving is not a symbolic religious ritual but a foundational spiritual discipline that shapes social stability, moral restraint and long-term progress. According to him, societies that neglect gratitude often experience disorder, internal division and stagnation.
Watch The Full Interview Below:
While acknowledging the history of marginalisation, insecurity and hostility faced by Ndi Igbo in different parts of the country, the Anglican cleric argued that many present-day difficulties are rooted in internal failings rather than external pressures alone. He identified pride, erosion of humility, unrestrained display of wealth and declining ethical discipline as behaviours that heighten social tension and provoke hostility, warning that moral imbalance frequently attracts avoidable hardship.
Reflecting on the Nigerian civil war, Archbishop Madu expressed concern that younger generations are becoming increasingly disconnected from the sacrifices and lessons of that period, largely due to the absence of sustained historical education and collective remembrance. He described the proclamation of the Igbo World Day of Adoration and Thanksgiving as an opportunity to correct this gap, preserve memory and transmit values that discourage the repetition of past tragedies.
Drawing from biblical examples, the Emeritus Archbishop noted that thanksgiving has historically preceded restoration and renewal in nations and communities. He explained that genuine repentance and collective gratitude could help heal strained relationships within Igbo society, restore mutual trust and reorder communal priorities away from material excess and the obsession with power.
Archbishop Madu further stated that although individuals and families have offered private thanksgiving to God over the years, Ndi Igbo as a people had not gathered collectively to offer unified gratitude since the civil war ended in January 1970. He described the new initiative as a timely spiritual correction and a fulfilment of a long-neglected responsibility.
The inaugural global observance of the Igbo World Day of Adoration and Thanksgiving will hold on Saturday, 31 January, with prayers, confession, thanksgiving and reflection expected across Igboland and the diaspora. The event will thereafter be observed annually on the last Saturday of January.
Expressing optimism about the impact of the initiative, Archbishop Madu said sincere thanksgiving would usher in renewed favour, heal collective memory and improve relations with other ethnic nationalities across Nigeria. He urged Ndi Igbo at home and abroad to embrace humility, reject excessive materialism and recommit to values that prioritise faith, community and responsibility.
“The God who preserved our people through the war remains able to guide and preserve us today,” he said.
The broadcast forms part of The State of the Igbo Nation Series produced by Njenje Media, examining issues of faith, identity and national renewal in contemporary Igbo society.
