Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that Nigeria is drifting into a dangerous moral crisis, where killings, insecurity and violence are increasingly treated as routine rather than national tragedies.

Speaking at the first session of the 13th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Abuja, Jonathan said the country is “gradually losing its moral values and sense of humanity” as citizens become desensitised to bloodshed and destruction.

Drawing on his years in public life, he described the moment as one that demands sober reflection. In the past, he noted, major violent incidents would “shake the conscience of the nation,” provoking outrage, mourning and a collective demand for justice. Today, he lamented, communities are wiped out, lives are lost and “life seems to continue as though nothing has happened.”

Jonathan argued that this quiet acceptance of violence is a symptom of a deeper moral decay. He called for a national reawakening anchored on ethical leadership, spiritual renewal and a deliberate effort to restore respect for human life.

Central to that effort, he said, is the role of the Church. He urged Christian leaders to remain the conscience of society by speaking truth to power, defending righteousness and modelling integrity in both public and private life. The Church, he insisted, must not retreat into silence at a time when the nation is in desperate need of moral direction.

Jonathan also expressed concern about the influence of modern technology and information systems, warning that digital platforms now amplify and glamorise negative values. Behaviours once condemned are increasingly celebrated, he said, creating a distorted value system for young Nigerians and “a future we should not desire for our children and generations yet unborn.”

He stressed that leadership at every level will determine whether Nigeria reverses this trend. Societies progress, he said, when “men and women of integrity, courage and vision stand in the right places and speak the truth.” He called on citizens to pray for their leaders, support those who act with principle and work collectively for peace, justice and national renewal.

Also addressing the Synod, former Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Peter Akinola, described the gathering as symbolic and strategic for the Anglican community, particularly as it confronts what he termed a “revisionist agenda” within the global communion.

Akinola said previous conferences of the diocese had left lasting spiritual and institutional impact, adding that foreign delegates often departed with a more positive impression of Nigeria than that portrayed by parts of the international media. He urged the Church to “keep up the good fight of faith” in defending orthodox Christian teaching and national values.